Texel Society Spring Bulletin 2022

Bulletin

TEXEL N E W S

|

SA L ES

|

S H OWS

|

TE CHN I CAL

G N RI 22 SP 20

A T EX EL SOC IETY P UB L ICAT I O N

|

L IF E S TY LE

For All Texel Breeders

Double Diamond is

Sire of the Year Win an EID reader with Texel and

Exports hit

South America Five Nations Weekend

is back

#addtexeladdvalue

fees slashed

Member Fees

Go Online

by using and save costs on Society fees

This Notice supersedes all previous notices of costs and overrides ANY printed material which you may have in your possession.

All fees take effect from 1st January 2022.

Male and Female Birth Notifications 1st Jan – 31st May in Year of Birth

Import Registrations

1st June - 31st Dec in Year of Birth

1st January following year of Birth Onwards

Method

Online

Paper

Online

Paper

Paper

Standard BN fees

£2.10

£3.10

£10.75

£16.00

£120.00

ET BN fees

(£2.52 Inc VAT)

(£3.72 Inc VAT)

(£12.90 Inc VAT)

(£19.20 Inc VAT)

£8.00

£12.00

£16.00

£24.00

(£9.60 Inc VAT)

(£14.40 Inc VAT)

(£19.20 Inc VAT)

1st November year following YOB onwards

Online

Paper

Online

Paper

Online

Paper

£9.50

£7.50

£10.50

£10.00

£13.00

(£11.40 Inc VAT)

(£9.00 Inc VAT)

(£12.60 Inc VAT)

(£12.00 Inc VAT)

(£15.40 Inc VAT)

Male Registrations (having previously been birth notified) 1st July - 31st Oct

Method

1st Nov - 31st Jan

1st Feb – 30th June

Paper £32.00

(£38.40 Inc VAT)

£48.00

(£57.60 Inc VAT)

£100.00

(£120.00 Inc VAT)

Male registration will only be permitted once a genotype has been issued by the laboratory and has been received by the Society office. For purchased rams that require male registration, the Society requires “proof of purchase” in the form of a “ram docket” or a copy of the “invoice of sale”. Failure to provide a DNA sample for your ram may prevent your ram from being registered along with their resultant progeny.

(Online only) Flock Fee

£35.10

(£42.12 Inc VAT)

Female

£13.60

(£16.32 Inc VAT)

1st January to 31st December

16th June YOB 31st October in year following YOB

(£7.80 Inc VAT)

Paper

Transfers (Females must be registered by the breeder before transfer. Males can be transferred prior to registration by the new owner.)

(£28.80 Inc VAT)

By 15th June in Year of Birth (YOB)

£6.50

Male

(£144.00 Inc VAT)

Female Registrations (having previously been birth notified)

Method

Method

£20 (£24 Inc VAT)

Members using the Society texelplus genetic improvement service now no longer pay for the service using a per breeding ewe fee.The flock fee has also been reduced significantly. If you require further information, please contact the Society office or visit texel.uk/texelplus/

Online £8.50

(£10.20 Inc VAT)

Paper (admin support) £15.00

(£18.00 Inc VAT)

Terms of Membership relating to fees Please note ALL new members are required to set up a Direct Debit payment and use our online services.

New members pay a joining fee and a subscription fee. Thereafter an annual subscription on the anniversary date each year.

Adult Joining fee £62.50 (£75.00 inc VAT) Annual Subscription fee £52.57 (£63.08 inc VAT) Junior (Up to age 21) Joining fee £31.25 (£37.50 inc VAT) Annual Subscription fee £26.29 (£31.55 inc VAT) Members are encouraged to consider GIFT AID at no extra cost. More information is available at https://texel.uk/gift-aid/ The VAT inclusive prices include VAT at 20%, and may be adjusted at any time.

Female and Male Registrations certificates will not be printed and posted to members.

Members are able to print certificates from iTexel if they require them.

Proven, Pedigree, Performance

Breeders’ Bulletin Texel Bulletin is published by the Texel Sheep Society Ltd twice a year in spring and autumn.

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the Society for any errors or any reliance on the use of information by readers.

Membership Subscriptions are available online at texel.uk/join-us Advertising office@texel.co.uk Registrations, sales cataloguing and texelplus registrations@texel.co.uk cataloguing@texel.co.uk Accounts accounts@texel.co.uk Society Governance Chief Executive - John Yates Chairman - Roy Campbell Cowal and Royel flocks Vice Chairman - Jeff Aiken Procters and Tatham Hall flocks Treasurer - Peter Mitchell Avon Vale flock Contributors Jonathan Long and Society staff Photography Country Girl Media, MacGregor Photography, Alfie Shaw Design Ghost Design Registered office – The Mechanics Workshop, New Lanark, Lanark, ML11 9DB Auditors – Dafferns LLP, One Eastwood, Harry Weston Road, Binley Business Park, Coventry, CV3 2UB Solicitors – Lodders Solicitors, 10 Elm Court, Arden Street, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 6PA Bankers – The Royal Bank of Scotland, 65 Stephenson Way, Wavertree, Liverpool, L13 1HE British Texel Sheep Society Ltd (Texel Sheep Society) is a Scottish Charity, SC007271, regulated by the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).

British Texel Sheep Society, Unit 74 - 4th Street, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG Tel: 024 7669 6629 Email: office@texel.co.uk Website: texel.uk

Demand drives breed’s success

W

elcome to the spring edition of the Texel Bulletin, as we move through the first quarter of another year there is once again much to look forward to and plenty of Texel related positives to reflect on as well.

The winter in-lamb sales season has seen exceptional demand for Texels once again, with strong averages and clearance rates at many sales.

This demand continues to be driven by the surging demand for quality Texel rams seen at last autumn’s commercial ram sales.

Texels continue to dominate the UK sheep sector, both as a terminal sire and also as a maternal breed.

On top of this, the Society’s ongoing investment in breeders’ services, including expansion of the iTexel database and, importantly, texelplus genetic improvement services, has been influential in supporting members to best serve their commercial customers in recent years.

The announcement, earlier this year, of the slashing of texelplus annual service fees to encourage members in the collection of important breed performance data is an opportunity for all members to further support the breed’s long-term prosperity, focussing on key profit traits that underpin the breed’s performance and value to the industry.

Looking ahead I am sure many of you, like me, are looking forward to a fully packed show season and all the socialising and business opportunities it offers.

The Society will be supporting many of the major shows,including members’ receptions at the major events, and I would encourage members to support not just the major shows, but also many of the local and smaller shows too.

These smaller events represent an excellent opportunity to interact with fellow breeders and commercial producers in your local area and build strong, long-term relationships which can sustain your flock’s future success.

NSA Sheep Events in Scotland and at Malvern will also see the Society out and about promoting the breed and the Society and showcasing the work being done by breeders to evolve the breed for the good of the entire UK sheep industry.

This summer also sees the return of the Five Nations weekend for Texel enthusiasts under 35 years old, promising an action-packed event combining visits to leading flocks, competitions and social events.

I would encourage any young person with an interest in the breed to get along to the Five Nations weekend in July and make the most of the opportunities it offers.

Society staff and I look forward to seeing many of you at Society and other events throughout the summer months and wish you all a successful season.

John Yates Chief Executive

In touch with Texel @BritishTexel #addtexeladdvalue Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

3

Contents | Spring 2022

N E W S

Y D P

6

Texels break records in 2021

46 Five Nations Weekend returns

8

Breeders take texelplus sales awards

48 New Spotlight award for YDP

14 British genetics hit top spot in South America 16 Society AGM heads to Drimsynie 18 New board members appointed 19 Double Diamond is Sire of the Year 20 Society supports primestock shows 26 Mapping World sheepmeat production and consumption 30 Can Texels help limit climate change?

S H OW S 50 Meet the 2022 feature show judges 52 Who’s who among 2022 Society Sale judges

S A L E S 54 Flying trade for all at in-lamb sales

TE CH N ICA L 34 Further

developments come on stream

34 Society drives future R&D strategy 39

fees slashed

L I F E S TY L E 78 Passion for Texels at Usk Vale 84 Flock focus proves worthwhile for Hornacott

4

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

IN THIS ISSUE

84

FLOCK FOCUS PROVES WORTHWHILE FOR HORNACOTT

19

DOUBLE DIAMOND IS SIRE OF THE YEAR

54

FLYING TRADE FOR ALL AT IN-LAMB SALES

30

CAN TEXELS LIMIT CLIMATE CHANGE

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

5

Society Matters

Texels smash more records in 2021 As the sheep sector went from buoyant to booming throughout 2021, so too did the Texel breed, seeing new records set at both the English and Northern Irish National Sales and the Texel Sheep Society’s four National Sales once again grossed more than £2m of trade.

At the English National Sale, Worcester, a new sale record for a shearling ram was achieved when the Williams family, Lampeter, sold their tup, Caron Dynamite for 32,000gns.

This record busting price helped set a new shearling ram average for the breed at Worcester, with an 81% clearance seeing an average of £2552.29, up more than 33% on the previous record of £1905.31 which had been set just 12 months earlier.

Meanwhile, at the Northern Irish National Sale, Ballymena, ram lamb Seaforde Egyptian Warrior stole the show when selling for a new centre record of 26,000gns. Once again this, and another five figure sale at 17,000gns, helped the breed record a centre best average of £1300.77 for ram lambs.

The breed continued to perform strongly in the commercial sector too, with the latest GB Sheep Breeds Survey showing that Texels accounted for 27.2% of all rams used in the GB National flock, with 26% of all ewes in GB mated to Texel rams.

This dominance was also reflected in the national ewe flock, with 15% of crossbred ewes being Texel sired and 12% of all ewes being by a Texel ram.

Texel Sheep Society chief executive John Yates said the dominance of the breed was further reflected at major commercial ram sales too, with both Kelso Ram Sale and the Main NSA Ram Sale, Builth Wells, recording strong performances for the breed.

“A new sale record of £65,000 for Campsie Drambuie was the headline maker at Kelso, with Texels accounting for 41% of the gross sale value and registered Texel shearlings averaging £1412.72. At Builth Texels accounted for 37% of the total sale and registered Texel shearlings levelled at £935.45.”

And while there were no individual record breakers at the in-lamb sales the demand at these was once again exceptional and what

6

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

is believed to be a new record pen average for in-lamb females was achieved by the Boden family at the Christmas Stars sale with an average of £12,915 for 10 sold.

The Society also hosted the inaugural Textravaganza National Texel Show at Carlisle, an event which showcased the very best of the breed to a huge audience from all corners of the UK, said Mr Yates.

“While 2021 continued to present challenges as a result of Covid-19 it had been a tremendous year for the sheep industry and that had been reflected at all levels within the Texel breed.

“These headline prices are just the tip of the iceberg, with exceptional demand for both pedigree Texels and Texel sired crossbred stock across the UK. All of this was fed by a rampant demand for quality prime lambs throughout 2021, with prices never dipping below £2/kg throughout the year.

“This was reflected at breeding stock sales the length and breadth of the country which saw Texel cross females eagerly sought after and Texel rams achieving top prices at many centres.”

Mr Yates said many Texel sales had seen record averages achieved alongside exceptional clearance rates. “The confidence felt among the commercial

The 32,000gns Caron Dynamite was one of the number of record breakers in 2021.

62%

jump in Ballymena ram lamb average

33%

lift in Worcester shearling average

41%

of total sale value at Kelso

37%

of total sale value at Builth

sheep sector had fed back up the supply chain as commercial farmers were prepared to dig deep to secure the breeding stock they needed to add value to their future lamb crops and their businesses as a whole.”

SM

Changes to Society publications

Scrapie genotypes

As many members will be aware the Society board took the decision at the end of 2021 to cease production of the Society Journal with immediate effect.

In response to requests from members for more information on their animals, the Society is pleased to announce that Scrapie genotypes will be available for genotyped registered sires later this year. These will be accessed through iTexel and, for a fee, members will be able to view the genotypes and subsequently choose whether to publish them online, in catalogues and on pedigree certificates.

Society chairman Roy Campbell says this was not a decision the board took lightly, but one which was made following the development of other areas of the Society’s communications portfolio.

“When the Society was founded nearly 50 years ago an annual Journal was a natural and obvious way of providing members with information and to support the promotion of the breed for both the pedigree and commercial audience. However, much like the Texel breed has evolved, the way the Society communicates with members has also needed to evolve, with major improvements in the last decade.

“The introduction of the internet and subsequently social media has meant that the Society’s core communications are now largely online, via the website, Society social media channels, e-newsletters and increasingly also via iTexel.

“This online presence is then supported by timely, engaging print publications in the form of The Bulletin and Primestock magazine, with a further convenience of each hard copy publication also being available on issuu in digital format,” explained Mr Campbell.

Animals with available genotypes will appear on a new, dedicated page within iTexel, called Genetex and, in the first instance, genotypes will be available for sires registered in the last few years and all those registered in the future. Members should note these will be non-export approved genotypes, provided solely for management purposes.

“The Society has made significant investment in these other forms of communication to ensure members are always kept up to date with the latest Texel news, superseding the function of the annual Journal as the main form of promotion and communication.

“Additionally, recent years have seen a significant drop in advertising within the Journal as members have embraced other forms of promoting their flocks, largely using social media as a no cost option that is simple to update regularly.

“While the board appreciates that not all members will agree with the decision taken, I hope everyone can understand the evolutionary nature of Society communications, the investments being made and values the timely and efficient manner in which the Society conducts its breed promotion function.

“The bulletins of today are by far more informative than the journals of yesterday and are also easily kept for perpetuity if if that is the desire of individual members.” added Mr Campbell.

CARAS award for Steve Society director and chair of the breed development committee Steve Smith has been awarded an Associateship of the Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies (CARAS) for his submission ‘From Grey Pavements to Green Pastures’.

CARAS rewards individuals for their outstanding contribution to the Agricultural sector. CARAS Wales awarded Mr Smith his associateship at an awards ceremony held at the Royal Welsh Showground in September 2021.

John Yates commended Steve on his accolade, adding that having known Steve for more than 25 years, his drive and enthusiasm for the industry has never wained.

Data cleaning To help members manage their flocks more easily on iTexel, the data on iTexel has been cleaned to remove almost 45,000 live animals that were classed as unproductive.

This included almost 32,000 unregistered animals and more than 12,000 aged females that haven’t lambed for two years which in most cases will have been culled or died.

Members are encouraged to regularly update their flock records. Anyone who has concerns with their flock data should contact registrations@texel.co.uk

Completing flock data accurately All members are encouraged to enter lambs’ birth weights and lambing ease scores in iTexel when lambs are birth notified. Including this simple to collect information improves the data quality in iTexel and supports the development of the terminal sire breed with the biggest single influence on the UK sheep industry.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

7

Society Matters

flocks take sales awards

NI-GB sale changes

As major commercial sales returned to more normal formats in 2021, so too did the Society’s awards for the texelplus flocks with leading averages at the Main NSA Ram Sale, Builth Wells and Kelso Ram Sale.

New proposed export arrangements for Northern Irish stock attending shows and sales in mainland GB were announced earlier in the year. Under the new regime animals from NI which attend events in GB will be able to return to NI provided certain conditions are met.

These awards, which reward consistency and excellence in shearling ram production have once again been won by previous winners.

At the Main NSA Ram Sale, Builth Wells, the winner was Cefyn Pryce’s Caereinion flock, with a pen of

five shearling rams which averaged £3433.50.

Kelso, meanwhile, saw Andrew Clark’s Teiglum flock take the honours, with his pen of six shearlings levelling the day at £5292.

Society chairman Roy Campbell said it was great to see both these major sales get back to more normal circumstances and the trade at both showed the latent demand for Texel rams among commercial buyers.

“Averages at both these sales leapt on previous years and texelplus rams were, once again, among the leading prices at both events. Both winners have shown consistency over many years, producing rams to meet both pedigree and commercial buyers’ needs and these awards are well deserved recognition of their efforts,” he added.

The new proposals mean that stock attending shows in GB will be able to return home afterwards without incurring residency requirements in GB and NI-bred animals unsold at GB sales or purchased by fellow NI breeders will be able to return to Northern Ireland immediately after the sale.

However, strict conditions apply to the new arrangements, chief among them being that the shows or sales attended in GB must be approved and operated in accordance with EU export assembly rules.

Additionally, NI animals must be kept separate from GB animals while in GB and must not be mixed with animals of a lower health status during transport to or from GB. This includes not mixing animals of different scrapie monitoring status. Rams will also require Brucella Ovis testing before leaving NI. Society chief executive John Yates said that while the Society welcomed the opportunity these proposed changes offered NI members it was still unclear whether it would be practical to operate sales on this basis. “The Society is in contact with relevant authorities to understand the practical requirements for running sales on this basis.

“Unless a sale is run as an approved EU export status sale NI breeders will be unable to purchase GB stock from mainland sales and take them back to NI immediately.”

Andrew Clark, Teiglum, receives the Kelso texelplus award from Society director Robert Laird.

In Remembrance The Society was sadly informed of the passing of the following members.

Charles Scott, East Middle – January

8

Selwyn Evans, Welsh – January

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Bill Higham, Croston – February

Joan Boden, Sportsmans – March

*Further information on arrangements for this year’s National Sales will be made available via the Society website and social media channels later in the year.

SM Perthshire farmer wins weigh crate The Society’s 2021 summer competition to win an IAE weigh crate valued at more than £700 was won by Jeanette Muirhead, Fowlis Wester, Perthshire.

Jeanette, who farms with her husband Alastair, says the weigh crate will be put to good use weighing Texel cross lambs from the family’s commercial sheep flock.

For details of the Society’s 2022 competition SCAN HERE

Texel Attended Events Calendar Dates for the diary 11th – 14th May - Balmoral Show, Lisburn. Judge; Henry Gamble, Springwell

1st August - NSA early sale – Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells

1 June - Scotsheep - Over Finlarg, Tealing - Dundee

24th – 25th August - Scottish National Sale, Lanark. Judge; Myfyr Evans, Rhaeadr

17th – 19th June - Royal Three Counties Show, Malvern. Judge; Will McCaffrey, Scholars and Cressage

27th August - Welsh National Sale, Welshpool. Judge; Rosie Boden, Sportsmans and Mellor Vale

23rd – 26th June - Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh. Judge; Robert Wilson, Milnbank

29th - 30th August - English National Sale, Worcester. Judge; Gordon Gray, Ettrick

12th – 14th July - Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate. Judge; John Currie, Tullagh

3rd September - Northern Irish National Sale, Ballymena, Judge; John Trimble, Curley

st

18th – 21st July - Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells. Judge; Robert Cockburn, Knap 27th July - NSA Sheep Event – Three Counties Showground, Malvern

18th – 19th September - NSA main ram sale, Builth Wells. Judge; Philip Weaver, Empire

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

9

Society Matters

BNs due at end of May

s as soon Members should aim to birth notify lamb the lower on alise capit they re ensu to ible as poss st June birth 1 From fees available earlier in the year.

ET lambs. and ral natu all for notification fees increase The Society reminds members that all birth prevailing notifications will be subject to fees at the rates at time of submission. on the Society The latest fee sheet is always available n. catio publi this website or on page 2 of ng your lambs, Should you require any assistance addi in page adm flock your k chec nce insta in the first , followed tered regis fully are p shee your re ensu to ety’s by watching the tutorial video on the Soci , email lems prob have still you if YouTube page and uk l.co. texe ns@ registratio

Add email addresses to Xero for simpler accounting Additional email addresses can be included within the Society’s accounts system to allow multiple individuals to receive the monthly invoices and statements.

Members who wish to add additional contacts should email registrations@texel.co.uk to request this.

The Society is also aware that some members struggle to find the invoices within their email accounts as they have gone into the junk folder.

Members can update this by making the Society’s emails as coming from a ‘Safe Sender’ Members also using Xero accounting can simplify their accounts management as links can be provided by the Society to enable invoices to be directly embedded into their accounts system.

iTexel guides available on Ram registrations To help members make the most of iTexel and all the facilities it offers, there are a number of ‘How to’ tutorial guides on the Society’s YouTube Channel Each video details a step-by-step guide in undertaking certain tasks to help you manage your flock administration and keep accurate information New tutorials have recently been created for online transfers and the mating predictor.

Members are reminded to register rams as early as possible to avoid late fees.

The Society introduced an online DNA kit request form to assist members be more efficient when requesting DNA kits as all required information would be provided at once. st More than 1000 kits were received before the 31 October deadline. 150 of these were given directly to members at the four national sales, which is a service the Society will continue this year.

Saving members money with the cheaper fees and ensuring DNA samples were received in good time to enable birth notifications to take place this spring.

Female registrations

for ales which are exported or used Members are reminded that fem der. bree the registered by pedigree breeding must be fully fully registered before they can This means that females must be the auspices of the Society or be entered into sales run under catalogued by the Society. females sold privately between This applies to upcoming sales, hasers intending to start a members or sold privately to purc tances registration of females pedigree flock. In all other circums if not completed it is the and is at the discretion of the breeder Society operates a scale of responsibility of the purchaser. The tion submission. fees in relation to date of registra

10

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Making flocks easier to manage on Members are encouraged to make sure their flock lists are up to date, the more accurate the infor mation about your flock is on iTexel the easier and quic ker it will be to manage your flock and undertake flock managem ent tasks.

As well as clearing out animals you can update registration status, sexes and names via the flock admin page on iTexel.

SM Gift aid....help us to help you Members can donate 25% more to the Texel Sheep Society at no extra cost, by completing a Gift Aid declaration, available online at texel.uk/gift-aid Gift Aid allows UK charities, such as the British Texel Sheep Society to claim back the basic rate tax of 25% from HMRC, that has already been paid on donations by members.

This means the Society can claim 25p for every £1 donated, boosting the value of your donations by a quarter.

How does it work?

For every £1 you give The Texel Sheep Society, it can claim back 25p in tax. It doesn’t cost you anything – all you have to do is fill in a short, simple form giving the Society permission to reclaim this tax. Your membership subscription is the only form of donation which the Society can claim gift aid against.

How do I sign up for Gift Aid? Complete the short Gift Aid Declaration form at texel.uk/gift-aid.

However, if your membership subscription is paid through a business account, then the Society is not able to claim Gift Aid against it.

What’s the catch?

There’s no catch. It really is that easy.

Just complete the declaration at texel. uk/gift-aid to enable the Society to make your donation worth more without costing you a penny.

James Hamilton wins SAYFC Young Farmer of the Year James Hamilton from the Crewburn & Carjasco flocks was victorious in the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs ‘Young Farmer of the Year’ competition last autumn.

Triumphing in the competition which included both theoretical and practical elements, James firstly had to present a business plan for a farming business and was also assessed on sire selection, ATV driving, tractor driving and loader skills, electric fencing and sheep crutching to name but a few of the tasks.

James said winning had been an incredible experience.

“I would encourage anyone with an interest to give the competition a go next year. It isn’t as daunting as you may think. It is a great opportunity to push yourself, as well as test and expand your knowledge.”

If you have any further questions about Gift Aid please visit: texel.uk/gift-aid-faqs

Auldhouseburn flock supports young breeders SCAN HERE

for shows Society rosettes available

rve champions of Texel

on and rese Rossettes are available for champi classes at local and county shows.

Three young breeders got lucky in January, winning a breeding package from the Auldhouseburn flock thanks to the generosity of the Blackwood family and AB Europe.

Winning a gimmer each as well as four doses of Auldhouseburn Ever So Clever and discounted ET work from AB Europe were Robert Harvie of the Saddlerhead flock, Lanarkshire, Brian Molloy of the Ballymoyer flock, Amagh, and Ben Roberts of the Poundapitt flock, Devon.

The Society extends it congratulations to the winners and applauds the Blackwood family for their generosity in supporting young breeders.

can iety Auspices, show organisers If classes are held under the Soc .uk l.co texe ce@ offi . Please email contact the Society to request them . ress add tal pos the edules and with a copy of the Texel class sch

Club sale rosettes For 2022, the Society will also be providing a 1st prize rosette to support the running of texelplus classes at club sales. Please email office@texel.co.uk to request them .

Please ensure that you give at leas t two weeks notice before the sale for rosettes to be sent out.

Birth notification letter for 2022-born lambs is

F

Branagan brothers win the All-Ireland Club Football Championship Final from the All five of the Branagan brothers for the ed play ks Largy and Tullnasoo floc nd rela All-I the in oo, Kilc winning team, inst aga hip ons mpi Cha l tbal Club Foo taking Kilmacud in February with Eugene ment, ieve ach c asti man of the match. A fant . congratulations

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

11

Society Matters

British Texel genetics flourish overseas A Texel ram carrying a full pedigree of UK genetics has set a new breed record in Brazil, selling for R$176,000 (£23,400) at a sale hosted by breeder Sergio Takahashi of the Gran Reserva flock.

The ram, Gran Reserva POI-UK 814, is

by UK sire Cambwell Belter and out of an embryo-bred dam by Teiglum Vision and out of a Wealden dam by High Weald Tungsten Tiger.

A gimmer, Gran Reserva POI-UK-TE 674,

by Claybury Regatta and out of a Cambwell Trademark daughter is also understood to have set a new female record for the breed in Brazil.

British genetics were in demand throughout the sale which resulted in a new Brazilian record average of more than £3000.

And demand for UK genetics in South America has remained strong in recent months, with a shipment of embryos and semen recently arriving in Brazil from the Garngour, Teiglum and Cambwell flocks.

Embryos came from some of the leading families in the Cambwell, Garngour and Teiglum flocks, including from a sister to Garngour Detroit as well as from a maternal sister to Garngour Craftsman and a full sister to the 20,000gns Teiglum Dirty Harry.

From the Cambwell flock embryos were by Cambwell Duke and Cressage Blockbuster.

Meanwhile, Teiglum embryos were by Teiglum Daredevil and Cambwelll Duke.

Semen has gone to Brazil from Cambwell Duke, Garngour Dante, Garngour Dunga, Garngour Denilson, Teiglum Drambuie and Teiglum Daredevil, while Garngour Dunga semen has also been exported to Austria.

Meanwhile, semen from Cambwell Duke and Cambwell Da Vinci has been exported to Chile, with semen from the same rams also heading to Canada and New Zealand and Duke semen also going to the USA. Additionally, Argentinian breeder Javier Plumet has recently imported semen and embryos for the first time in recent years.

These genetics came from the Garngour, Granite and Logie Durno flocks, with all the embryos coming from the latter two flocks and semen coming from Gargnour Dante, Garngour Denilson and Garngour Dunga as

14

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

well as IGM2032497 from the Granite flock and IGB2032447 from the Logie Durno flock.

Mr Plumet who has spent a number of years working to import UK genetics to his flock said he hoped it would be first of many shipments of UK genetics to Argentina.

GB-EU live exports In the interim, there remains little prospect of live animal exports resuming to mainland Europe from GB. Recent information received from the NSA suggests that DEFRA is currently considering funding a Border Control Point on this side of the channel to allow APHA to undertake checks at a BCP rather than on farm.

However, this would only assist imports and not exports. NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “We have formally suggested that a proposal is put to the Commission that if one of these was at Dover the French could have an office there and do the checks this side rather than have to invest in something outside Calais.

“Proposals for a BCP site at Calais have progressed no further. As far as I’m aware

Sheep from Gran Reserva set new records in Brazil last autumn.

even the approvals haven’t been finalised and then a business case has to be agreed and based on gate fees and throughput.”

Society chief executive John Yates urged anyone with live export orders waiting to be fulfilled to contact NSA and ensure it was aware of their situation. “The more information NSA has the better it can lobby on the industry’s behalf,” he added.

For more information on how to maximise export opportunities see;

SCAN HERE

SM

EWF win for Greenfields NI MV status Some confusion surrounded the future of Northern Ireland’s Maedi-Visna (MV) free status in early February following suggestions from SRUC that Northern Ireland had lost its MV-free status.

Commercial Texel user and leading Leicestershire butchers Martin and Ben Greenfield enjoyed success at the English Winter Fair, taking first place in the show’s trade stand competition with their butchery stand which included a display of Society promotional material.

However, following assurances from Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer, Robert Huey, the MVfree status of Northern Ireland remains unchanged.

The situation unfolded following the discovery of MV in sheep exported from NI to GB. Mr Huey said DAERA was carrying out a veterinary investigation with the intention of controlling and stamping out a recent incursion of MV. “Maedi Visna has recently been detected in Northern Ireland homebred sheep and a veterinary investigation is ongoing. A number of flocks are currently subject to movement restrictions following tracing from an infected premises. Our approach remains to trace, test and remove infected animals, implementing a rigorous stamping out policy for the disease.

Laryngeal Chondritis A pilot study of CT scans collected in 2019 suggests that additional measurements taken during routine CT scanning of ram lambs could provide data to help fill existing knowledge gaps in the investigations of the serious health condition of laryngeal chondritis in terminal sire lambs.

Despite there only being small numbers of lambs from the other breeds, significant breed differences were identified for some of the larynx measurements. However, these breed comparisons were based on a limited number of lambs from few flocks, so may not be representative of each breed.

The study examined CT scans of the larynx area of 94 Texel ram lambs and compared the data to that from CT scans from ram lambs in other breeds.

These results indicate that variation exists in the larynx both within and between breeds of sheep, even after adjusting for variation in live weight. *More details in the autumn bulletin

Amendment to bye-law 12.10.1 To streamline the balloting system for the NI national the board of directors has approved a change to the ballot procedure under Byelaw 12.10.1, with the following sentence deleted: If a vendor does not present his consignment for 2 consecutive years, the flock will be regarded as a new vendor.

“A number of options to maintain Northern Ireland’s disease status are currently being considered including the introduction of a Northern Ireland or all-island accreditation scheme similar to that in operation in Great Britain. Department officials continue to work closely with stakeholders and their counterparts in Great Britain and the For more Republic of Ireland.

The Society continues to work with the relevant authorities to help inform members of the latest news and will provide updates as soon as it becomes aware of any new information.

about MV

SCAN HERE

For Society rules and bye-laws SCAN HERE

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

15

Society Matters

Drimsynie hosts AGM The Society’s 2022 AGM and social weekend will take place at Drimsynie Estate, Lochgoilhead, Argyll, from Friday 11th November to Sunday 13th November.

Featuring a range of accommodation options, including the Drimsynie Estate Hotel, holiday lodges and more, the weekend will include a number of social events and fun activities for members and friends of all ages.

Further booking information will be available on the Society website and social media channels later in the summer.

Correct identification of pedigree Texels Members are reminded of the Society’s rules on sheep identification which apply to all shows and sales organised and run under the Society auspices.

aids sales cataloguing

The Society requires that all pedigree Texel sheep carry two ear tags, in accordance with current government regulations, each clearly identifying the breeder’s unique UK flock number and 5-digit unique individual animal ID.

Last year saw more than 11,000 sheep entered into 76 sales through the online cataloguing facility provided by iTexel.

The Society flock book number allocated to that animal in the registry will be the individual ID, prefixed with the year number and pedigree flock code i.e XXX2000001. One of the tags shall be an EID tag and the other a visual tag.

More than 60% of the entries were completed by members online, a 20% increase compared to 2020, according to Society events and cataloguing manager Ailish Ross. “The uptake of online sales entry by members has been fantastic and clearly shows a demand for paperless entry systems and the convenience that iTexel provides.

Management information including the pedigree flock code and year of birth can be included on tags. Any animal with incorrect or indistinct identification or only carrying one tag will be rejected from the sale or show, unless the Society chief executive has been notified in advance of the inspection and a dispensation certificate accompanies the animal to the sale/show.

The decision of the inspector shall be final and failure to accept the inspector’s decision will result in the entire consignment/show team being rejected.

“To further support members and regional clubs the Society introduced two new services last year to encourage and support club sales to move online.

Online pre-entry forms were created and made available on texel.uk to reduce the reliance on paper entries for club sales.

“Many members had previously used online entries for the National Sales and NSA sales, therefore, this transition was well received by clubs and their vendors. A total of 12 clubs with 29 sales took advantage of the service, leaving five clubs operating paper entry systems via sale auctioneers,” said Miss Ross.

“Meanwhile, to assist Clubs and sales that operate under the Society’s auspices, an entry fee collection system was also introduced via the Society’s Direct Debit system.

“The Society reimbursed entry fees in one process to the sale organisers or agents, reducing sales administration by eliminating the clubs’ requirement to issue paper invoices and collect funds via cheque payments, as well as chasing late payments. In all 22 club sales used this service, with more than £43,500 collected and reimbursed to clubs,” she added.

16

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Society Matters

New board members appointed The Society’s 2021 AGM in November saw two new board members take up seats representing members from their regions.

In the West of Scotland region Robert Laird, Cambwell, has replaced Andy Barr, Parkhouse, while in South West England Angus Howie has taken on the vacancy created by Graham Hill’s departure from the board.

In addition, Peter Mitchell, Avon Vale, has been appointed honorary treasurer following Andy Barr’s retirement from the board, with vice chairman Jeff Aiken, Procters, taking up the position of the Society’s representative on the SRUC Premium Sheep and Goat Health Schemes advisory board.

Born and brought up on a busy mixed arable and livestock farm in Perthshire, Angus Howie studied agriculture at college in Edinburgh and spent the first 20 years of his working life at home while developing and expanding a UK road haulage business.

A lifelong enthusiast of all types of pure-bred livestock, he established pedigree flocks of Suffolk and Charollais sheep, while introducing a Millhouse Texel enterprise in 2009.

“Sheer character and expression, drew me towards the Texel,” said Angus. “They are such a versatile, multi-functional breed and so easy to work with.”

With a love of Shetland ponies and Clydesdale horses, he and his wife Sue, were able to expand their pedigree flocks with the purchase of a larger, 300-acre unit in Okehampton, Devon, in 2011.

Angus Howie Millhouse - HNL

South West of England – Area 9

This also allowed for the expansion of their commercial sheep and suckler cow enterprises.

Having sold his road haulage business in 2015, Angus has also been able to enjoy his musical youth more now too – a pastime that enabled him to travel the world in his brothers’ Scottish Dance Band for 15 years playing the piano.

But not one to look back and think about the should have or could haves, Angus has always preferred to look forward with a glass more than half full…

Dad once said to me: “The ability to read the evening paper in the morning would be great!”

Having been involved with Texel since their introduction to the UK Robert Laird is clear about the breed’s qualities and benefits to the UK sheep sector, stating that the breed’s excellent carcass qualities always have been and still are superior to UK native breeds Alongside the family’s pedigree flock run a flock of 350 MV-accredited commercial ewes and 60 suckler cows including a few pedigree Angus which he says are easy fleshed just like the Texel.

Outside of farming Robert enjoys playing pool for his local pub team each week and cites Heptavac P and the telehandler as the two piece of farming technology he can’t live without.

Robert Laird Cambwell – LTC

Central and West of Scotland – Area 2

18

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

And when it comes to rams of the past that he’d like to use again Robert says Annan Newsflash would be the one he’d go back to.

And with a focus on producing commercially sound sheep that are perfectly suited to the pedigree and commercial breeder alike, Robert says if he could change one thing in his Texel life it would have been to keep breeding for positive fat when others suggested negative fat was the right way to go.

SM

Double Diamond takes sire of the year title Following an action packed 10 days of National Sales in late August and early September the results for the First Season Sire of the Year show an overwhelming trend, with four out of the top five all being sired by previous winner Garngour Craftsman.

Members are reminded of the updates made last year to the rules for the GB Scrapie Monitored Scheme (SMS) managed by SRUC and increased enforcement of them.

Leading the way, in news which won’t surprise many, was the 350,000gns Sportsmans Double Diamond bred by Messrs Boden and Davies. He topped the rankings with an average for his top three selling sons of 73,333gns. These were, Auldhouseburn Expression at 100,000gns, Procters El Presidente at 80,000gns and Procters Exocet at 52,000gns, with all having been sold at the Scottish National Sale, Lanark.

In second place was Castlecairn Doodlebug.

Bred by Bruce Renwick, his top three selling sons from different dams sold at 75,000gns for Sportsmans Express, 18,000gns for Lakeview Earn Your Keep and 14,000gns for Sportsmans Eye Catcher. This gave him an average of 35,666gns, with all three once again sold at Lanark.

Third spot was filled by Mellor Vale Dakota, bred by Charlie Boden. His best-selling

sons were Cressage Enforcer at 38,000gns, Oldford Eisenhower at 5000gns and Oldford Entertainer at 1200gns. This left with an average of 14,766gns.

Another from Boden and Davies, Sportsmans Dirty Harry, then followed in fourth place.

His best selling sons were Haymount Eye of The Beholder at 22,000gns, Haymount Enter The Dragon at 12,000gns and Milnbank Ed Shearing which sold for 2200gns. He finished with an average of 12,066gns for his best three sons from different dams.

And fifth place then went to Mellor Vale Déjà vu from Charlie Boden, again, and with an average of 11,066gns. Best sellers here were Harestone Eldorado at 17,000gns, Glenside Emerald King at 10,000gns and Harestone Everest at 6200gns.

Sire

Breeder

Dam

Ram Lamb

Sold for Gns

Sportsmans Double Diamond

Boden and Davies

BYZ1922916

Auldhouseburn Expression

100,000

PFD1903114

Procters El Presidente

80,000

PFD1903111

Procters Exocet

52,000

BGS2004369

Sportsmans Express

75,000

PTT1800107

Lakeview Earn Your Keep

18,000

WWB1901370

Sportsmans Eye Catcher

14,000

EMK1903624

Cressage Enforcer

38,000

PRE1901190

Oldford Eisenhower

5,000

PRE1901182

Oldford Entertainer

1,200

AWJ1701318

Haymount Eye Of The Beholder

22,000

AWJ1901785

Haymount Enter The Dragon

12,000

LYM1803018

Milnbank Ed Shearing

2,200

BSA1901633

Harestone Eldorado

17,000

FPG1901761

Glenside Emerald King

10,000

CFT1805742

Harestone Everest

6,200

Castlecairn Doodlebug

Mellor Vale Dakota

Sportsmans Dirty Harry

Mellor Vale Déjà vu

Changes to GB Scrapie Monitoring Scheme

Bruce Renwick

Charlie Boden

Boden and Davies

Charlie Boden

Average Gns

77,333

35,666

14,766

12,066

The rule changes mean that animals from SMS flocks attending either shows and/ or sales will have to be segregated from other animals unless the SMS animals are of ARR/ARR scrapie genotype and the genotyping was undertaken by either SRUC or APHA, with samples taken by a vet.

Additionally, animals from Negligible Risk SMS flocks (those with seven years SMS membership) have to be kept separate from those from Controlled Risk SMS flocks (those with three years SMS membership).

Society chief executive John Yates said while the rules around SMS were becoming increasingly complex, it was the responsibility of each member to ensure they maintained their chosen flock health status and the Society currently had no plans to segregate sheep of different SMS status at Society sales.

To maintain the status of SMS sheep there must be no nose-to-nose contact between SMS sheep and non-SMS sheep or between SMS animals of different risk levels. This includes during transport to and from shows and/or sales, in penning areas, show rings and sale rings.

“It is also important to note that unless they are of ARR/ARR genotype sheep from SMS flocks will lose their SMS status when attending a non-segregated event. Should those animals return home then there will also be an impact on the whole flock.”

Members in Northern Ireland whose flocks are members of the DAERA Scrapie Monitored Flocks Register should refer to DAERA for guidance on how their attendance at events in GB will affect their flock’s scrapie status.

11,066

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

19

Society Matters

Primestock show sponsorship 2022 As a continued commitment to its membership, the Society offers reimbursement of entry fees to Texel Sheep Society Members in 2022.

Members are eligible after attending and promoting the British Texel Breed in the Texel classes at the primestock events listed.

Sponsorship Prize Fund

Members need to write to the Society detailing entries and include proof of entry after each eligible event by 31st March 2023 to be considered by the Society for the reimbursement. Payment, if approved, will be made directly from the Texel Sheep Society to the individual member.

£250 for Supreme Champion Live if sired by Texel

Sponsored Shows 2022 Borderway Agri-Expo – Carlisle – 28th October

£125 to Reserve Champion Carcase if sired by a Texel £125 to Reserve Champion Live if sired by a Texel £150 towards Texel show classes The Society has the final discretion of any reimbursement and Prize fund award.

Success in 2021

English Winter Fair – Stafford – 19th-20th November 2022 LiveScot – Lanark - November – 25 -26 November th

£250 for Supreme Champion Carcase if sired by Texel

th

Royal Welsh Winter Fair – Builth Wells – 28th-29th November N.I Xmas Fatstock Show & Sale – Ballymena – 28th November The Society supports promotion of the breed by sponsoring primestock show prize funds as listed opposite. The Texel show class prize funds are awarded at the show by the organisers. Overall show champion and reserve champion prize awards (if sired by a registered Texel) are to be claimed from the Society office directly by providing the sire ID showing the winning sheep were sired by a registered Texel. Claims to be received by the Society by 31st March 2023.

At the English Winter Fair the winner of the Texel class was Lincolnshire-based Robert West, while at LiveScot both Texel lamb classes were won by the Hall family, Cumbria, with the same exhibitors taking the breed prize and reserve overall championship at Borderway Agri-Expo and at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair the Texel purebred class winner was regular supporter Adrian Windsor, Fern flock.

Dedicated online Texel Sales with SellMyLivestock A dedicated online sales portal for Texel Society members is available for livestock, semen and embryo sales in conjunction with leading online sales website www.sellmylivestock.com

The dedicated portal within the SellMyLivestock website will enable potential buyers to find Texel sheep more easily than if they are contained in the main listing.

Members are able to sell individual or groups of pedigree sheep via the portal, linking to animals’ pedigrees and estimated breeding values on iTexel to ensure buyers have the most complete information when browsing adverts.

Additionally, Texel breeders will be able to take advantage of the ever-growing audience which SellMyLivestock has and showcase their stock to a UK audience at the click of a button.

SellMyLivestock services include semen and embryos, allowing Society members to offer semen and embryos for sale on the site too.

Members are encouraged to advertise their semen sales on SellMyLivestock just as they used to via the semen directory on the Texel website.

Semen and Embryo listings can be added via the upload forms that can be found on texel.uk via SML Forms on the SellMyLivestock Menu.

20

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Society events and cataloguing manager Ailish Ross said SellMyLivestock offers members another sales outlet and was being implemented as a long-term option to help members raise awareness of stock for sale. “This will make it much easier and quicker for members to offer semen for sale and increase awareness of available genetics both among breeders and those looking to start pedigree flocks.”

For more information

SCAN HERE

WIN AN EID

READER WORTH MORE THAN £950.

Texels continue to dominate the GB sheep industry, accounting for 27.2% of all rams used in the GB national flock, according to the 2020 GB Sheep Breeds Survey.

Moreover, 26% of all ewes in GB were mated to Texel rams and, tellingly, the next nearest breed accounted for less than a third as many rams at just 8.7% of all rams used and was mated to just 8% of the national flock.

The continued dominance of the Texel breed as a sire is a result of the added value Texels brought to their progeny. It is well known that Texel sired lambs are in demand across GB, both as prime lambs and as breeding replacements, with Texel sired lambs earning up to 80p/kg premiums in live markets.

The survey also revealed 2.6% of the national flock to be purebred Texel and 15% of crossbred ewes were found to be Texel sired. Overall, the breed and its crosses represented 12% of all ewes in the GB.

To enter visit www.texel.uk/competition or scan here

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

21

Society Matters

Welcome to new members HIGHLAND

NORTH OF SCOTLAND

The Society is delighted to have welcomed the following new members to the Texel flock since the Autumn.

SCOTTISH

SOLWAY & TYNE NORTHERN IRELAND

NORTH WEST

NORTHERN AREA

DUTCH RUTHIN

DERBYSHIRE MIDLAND

NORTH WALES SHROPSHIRE & BORDERS

GLOUCESTERSHIRE &

SOUTH WALES

BORDERS

SOUTH EASTERN

DYFED SOUTH WEST

SOUTHERN CENTRAL

The Society wishes them well in their Texel endeavours and is sure they will receive a warm welcome from members at Society and Regional Club events.

Useful information for new members can be found on the Society website at www.texel.uk/new-members NAME

FLOCK PREFIX

IONA FINLAYSON

DOLINA

MARK DAVID KEITH DAVID MACARTHUR

REGION

Welcome Essential information to

support new members.

NAME

FLOCK PREFIX

REGION

1

WILLIAM HOUGH

STJARNA VIEW

6

CLYNEKIRKTON

1

RICHARD SANDHAM

STAR BROOK

6

DALMORE

1

JACKSON TYSON

GOOSE GREEN

6

CRAIG REID

CRAIG-ASH

1

TOM WEBSTER

CARR SIDE

6

PENNY STEWART

GUNHILL

1

BALBOA

7

MURRAY TRAIL

KNOCKDARROCH

1

SIMON ROGERS & GARETH DANIELS

CERIS WILLIAMS

CWMPANDY

1

WILLIAM SERCOMBE

CALCULUS

7

KEITH & ANDREW CAMPBELL

OVERBURNS

2

GEOFFREY STUBBS

WASHLANDS

7

WILLIAM JAMES KERR

KINGSFORD

2

OFFHAM

7

ALASDAIR MACLEAN

TIREE

2

SUSAN WAKEHAM - DAWSON & EDWARD HARMER

RONALD DICK

RONICK

3

HARRY BALL

GLENEARN

8

WESLEY & JACQUELINE WAITE

SUMMERSKYE

3

ZOE COLLETT

PINKNEY

8

EMMA DIXON

COWBURN

4

POPPY GRUNDY

HILL FARM

8

ALICE HARRISON

GRANGE HALL

4

NICOLA WILLIAMS

BELGATE

8

RICHARD HOWE

BORDER ESK

4

EDWARD PRING

CRABHAYES

9

JAKE METCALFE

ASHTREE

4

ALFRED VARNDELL

FUDGE

9

STUART BRODIE

TILLMOOR

5

ALED JONES

PENBACHE

10

JAMES CHAPPELL

SPRING HOUSE

5

CHARLIE JONES

DYRNOG

10

CHARLOTTE FOX

LILLYBETH

5

FINLEY JONES

10

A & H LIVESTOCK

ANDLEN

5

CHERRY TREE FARM

MATTHEW MOSLEY

GUILLIMAN

5

HARRI & CEIRION OWEN

ARGAE

10

SAM ROBSON

WEST BARN

5

CALLUM PARRY

TYDDYN UCHA

10

RICHARD WALTON

WALTONS

5

THOMAS EDWARDS

RHOSYDERI

11

KATIE BIRKETT

WHITE PEARL

6

CERITH EVANS

GWILI

11

JAMES BOOTH

WINDMILL VIEW

6

DANIEL JONES

RED LANDS

11

CAROLE BROWN

KILLER

6

GETHIN MATHIAS

BUARTH

11

N L & C J BROWN

BRONIC

6

JACK ADAMSON

STONYFAUL

12

ROBERT GARTH & SARAH PRIESTLEY

PEAKS VIEW

6

JOY BLACK

KILLYMOONAN

12

PAUL BRANNIGAN

BRADAN HILL

12

22

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

SM

Society Regions Regional directors for each region can be found here;

SCAN HERE

Area 9

South West England

Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

Area 4

North of Scotland

Central Scotland West

South East Scotland

South West Scotland & Cumbria

Area 5

Area 6

Area 7

Area 8

North East England

Northern Midlands of England & Isle of Man

Area 10

Area 11

North Wales & Borders

East & South East of England

South Wales

NAME

FLOCK PREFIX

REGION

MARK BREEN

BALLYGREENAN

NIAL ALBERT BRUCE

LINDEX

OISIN CASEMENT KARL CASSIDY

Southern Midlands of England

Area 12

Area 13

Northern Ireland

Mid Wales & Borders

NAME

FLOCK PREFIX

REGION

12

BRYAN & GAVIN PAUL

BEECHVIEW

12

12

ABAGAIL SCULLION

MULLACH ARD

12

TAREESH

12

HARRY SCOTT

BESSYBELL

12

FOUR FIELDS

12

JOSEPH STEWART

BALLYSTOCKART

12

JACK DUNCAN

MILLVIEW

12

PAUL SWINDELL

ROYAL

12

NIGEL HEMPHILL

KILCLEAN

12

P D W TAYLOR

BALLYCANNON

12

CIARAN MCAULEY

CAPECASTLE

12

FFION & ERIN DAVIES

SEVERNVIEW

13

MARTIN MCATEER

STRAID

12

RORY DUNLOP

STAR RIDGE

13

JAMES MCBETH

TULLINTRAIN

12

N & BW GREEN

TYNDRAIN

13

STEPHEN MCCAMMOND

MAGHEREAGH

12

SCOTT MORGAN

BOWER

13

CALLUM MCCREESH

TULLYODONNELL

12

HUW PARRY

MOELART

13

MARK & JOE MCKEARNEY

CROSSDALL

12

PETER ROBERTS

WOODLEA

13

BEN MCLAUGHLIN

GLEBEVIEW

12

JAMIE WOOSNAM

TREFEG

13

NAOMI NESBITT

AMPERTAINE

12

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

23

Society Matters

Club flock Competitions The Society is fortunate to have a strong and vibrant Club structure as its backbone. The Clubs and Producer groups not only provide a highly important marketing structure at local and regional level, but also provide a social structure for Society members.

During 2021 many regional Clubs got back in to action with social events and flock competitions taking place across the UK.

took place last year and congratulates all the winners and those who took part.

The Society is pleased to be able to report the results of those flock competitions which

For full results from each regional flock competition which took place in 2021 scan here www.texel.uk/flock-comps

Derbyshire Club

North of Scotland Club

Judge – James Draper, Claybury

Judge – Peter Woof, Stainton

Champion flock Boden and Davies, Sportsmans

Champion flock William Knox, Haddo

Reserve champion flock Philip Weaver, Empire

Reserve champion flock Matthew Seed, Auchry

Dyfed Club

Northern Area Club

Judge – James Draper, Claybury

Judges – Jeff and Jennifer Aiken, Procters, Tatham Hall and Coniston

Champion flock J E and L Davies, Teilo

SCAN HERE

Shropshire and Borders Club Judge – Robert Laird, Cambwell Champion flock Ben Lowe, Rue Wood Reserve champion flock S P and C P Williams, Wollascott

Solway and Tyne Club Judge – Nick Woodmass, Harene

Champion flock Sam and Sarah Beachall, Samsar

Champion flock Ewan MacTaggart, Rascarrel

Reserve champion flock G L Riby, Stonehills

Reserve champion flock D and S MacPherson, Hexel

Gloucester and Borders Club

North West Club

South Wales Club

Judge – Clive Roads, McCartneys

Judge – Chris Riby, Stonehills

Judge – Alan Jackson, Rugley

Champion flock Nicola Hartwright, Whitehart

Champion flock Eammon Vaughan, Partridge Nest

Champion flock E G Morgan, Blaencar

Reserve champion flock R J and B E Kimber, Drum

Reserve champion flock Ben Lowe, Rue Wood

Reserve champion flock R M and G L Watkins, Millend

Northern Irish Club

Scottish Club

South West Texel Club

Judge – Nicola Hartwright, Whitehart

Judge – Meikle Jackson, Wolfclyde

Judge – Angus Howie, Millhouse

Champion flock James Wilkinson, Ballygroogan

Champion flock Gordon Gray, Ettrick

Champion flock D Stevens, Russells

Reserve champion flock Victor Chestnutt, Clougher

Reserve champion flock Andrew Clark, Teiglum

Reserve champion flock Phil Martyn-Uglow, Hornacott

Reserve champion flock James Amphlett and Ellie Owens, Topwood

24

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Results as provided by Regional Club secretaries.

SM

HIGHLAND

NORTH OF SCOTLAND

SCOTTISH

SOLWAY & TYNE

NORTHERN IRELAND

NORTH WEST

DUTCH

NORTHERN AREA

RUTHIN DERBYSHIRE NORTH WALES

MIDLAND

SHROPSHIRE & BORDERS GLOUCESTERSHIRE & BORDERS SOUTH WALES DYFED

SOUTH EASTERN

SOUTH WEST SOUTHERN CENTRAL

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

25

Society Matters

Mapping worldwide sheep production The world sheepmeat market has seen surging prices in recent years as demand from emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East and Africa increases as a greater number of consumers move into the middle-income bracket.

Across the globe sheepmeat consumption is forecast to grow at an average of 1.4% a year up to 2024, with consumption expected to grow by a total of 895,000t by the same year.

That said, sheepmeat will continue to be a small-time player in the world meat market, predicted to account for just 5% of global meat supply in the next 10 years.

USA

National flock 5.2m Production volume (000t) 74 Export volume (000t) 5.4 Export as % of production 6% Average export export $US/kg 3.07 Average annual domestic consumption/head 0.4kg

Where are the world’s sheep?

But which nations dominate when it comes to production, exports and pricing?

It will come as no surprise that Australia and New Zealand are among the top global producers.

However, how many people would suspect that it is in fact China which is the global

26

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

leader both in terms of national flock size and production volume, carrying a 163.5m head sheep flock and producing 5,001,000t a year of sheepmeat?

This dwarfs the next nearest producer, India, which has a national flock of 74.3m head and produces in the region of 743,000t.

Australia, meanwhile, carries a national flock of 64m head and produces 650,000t a year, with New Zealand’s 26.2m strong flock delivering 411,000t a year.

Back at home in the UK the national flock size is 33.8m, with a production of 287,000t/year.

SM UK

National Flock 33.8m Production volume (000t) 287 Export volume (000t) 89 Exports as % of production 31 Average export price $US/kg 5.39 Average annual domestic consumption/head 3.4kg

India

National Flock 74.3m Production volume (000t) 743 Export volume (000t) 10 Exports as % of production 1.35 Average export price $US/kg 6.59 Average annual domestic consumption/head 0.5kg

China

National Flock 163.5m Production volume (000t) 5,001 Export volume (000t) 1 Exports as % of production 0.02 Average export price $US/kg 10.90 Average annual domestic consumption/head 3.3kg

Australia

National Flock 64m Production volume (000t) 650 Export volume (000t) 431 Exports as % of production 66.3 Average export price $US/kg 5.89 Average annual domestic consumption/head 6.1kg

New Zealand

National Flock 26.2m Production volume (000t) 411 Export volume (000t) 386.3 Exports as % of production 93.99 Average export price $US/kg 6.52 Average annual domestic consumption/head 3.4kg

Where does it all go?

Export volumes, however, are where things become more interesting, with Australia the global leader, exporting 431,000t a year, more than 66% of its annual production and a 36% share of all global exports.

This is closely followed by New Zealand with an export volume of 386,300t a year, just shy of 94% of production and accounting for 30% of worldwide exports.

China, by comparison, despite its massive production volume, only exports 1000t a year, with the UK exporting more than 89,000t a year, 31% of annual production.

Australia also leads the way in consumption, with the average Australian eating 6.1kg of lamb every year, compared to 3.9kg/head in the UK, 3.4kg/head in New Zealand and 3.3kg per person in China.

Of the major producers China is the largest importer of lamb, having a production shortfall of more than 400,000t/year, while the EU27 have a shortfall of 56,000t a year and the UK falls some 16,000t short of meeting domestic demand. *All data relates to 2019 production.

Source: Meat and Livestock Australia

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

27

FREE POSTAGE EASTER WEEKEND Weekend Friday 15th April – Monday 18th April 2022

Microfleece - Navy or black - £32.00

Polo Shirt Navy or black - £15.00

Body Warmer Soft Shell Navy or black - £40.00

Jacket - (made to order) Navy or black - £45.00

Baseball Cap - £6.00

Texel Beanie Black or Grey - £7.50

Rugby Shirt - Navy or black - £25.00

SHOP NOW 28

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Travel Mug - £6.00

Navy Texel Tie - £15.00

texel.uk/shop

Texelplus ram lambs averaged 93% more than overall sale average at Scottish National Sale 2021

Texelplus ram lambs averaged 90% more than overall sale average at Northern Irish National sale 2021

Texelplus shearling rams achieved 22% higher clearance at Welsh National Sale 2021

Getting involved with texelplus is as easy as 1, 2, 3

1

Record birth weight and lambing ease along with pedigree data at lambing

2

Record lamb weights at eight weeks of age

3

Sign up to today Ultrasound scan lambs at 35-40kg

Sign up today by visiting texel.uk/texelplus or emailing registrations@texel.co.uk

Society Matters

Texels positive influence on net zero….

While climate change may have taken a back seat in recent months due to other global events, no one can be in any doubt that it is the greatest challenge facing the global population, says Society chief executive John Yates.

“The intensity of discussions on climate change at a global level has increased in recent years. COP26 highlighted the importance of land use, food production and consumption in context to various governments’ net zero ambitions.

“The Texel breed was imported to the UK nearly 50 years ago and in that time has proven to be a major influence on the industry’s production efficiency, helping sheep producers carve out a modest margin often in challenging climates.”

The Texel Society has a long history of initiating and supporting technological developments used by Texel members in the genetic improvement of their flocks, says Mr Yates.

“The Texel breed has a major role to play in ensuring agriculture is part of the solution to net zero, with the breed continuing to contribute to the UK’s rural economy, communities, culture and identity.

“These benefits offered by Texels at an industry level have been well reported by the Society, with the Texel breed adding more than £23m a year to the UK sheep industry, while using performance recorded Texel rams can add an estimated £63 a ram a year to the value of their progeny.”

Thanks to the work of breeders and Society staff the Society has successfully

30

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

navigated the challenges posed by COVID-19 over the past two years, progressing its research and development projects and initiating major cost reductions for participation in the genetic improvement service texelplus, explains Mr Yates.

Additionally, during this time the Society has accelerated several significant strategic initiatives in support of its breed development strategy, including; •

Overhauling texelplus fees, removing a financial barrier to members.

•

Produce and test a breeding objective including economic selection indexes.

•

Review the historic and potential future economic value of Texel genetic improvement to the UK sheep industry using the latest metrics as a result of the development of the economic indices.

•

Calculate the environmental trend and historic emission reductions resulting from genetic gain in the economic indexes (measuring emissions impact).

•

Engaged in a root and branch review of phenotyping resources and capture of hard to measure traits, combined with feasibility study of the use of genomic technologies.

More exciting news on these developments will be reported in the autumn

“Texelplus provides the metrics that will support improved benchmarking and ranking of high performing genetics and with the continued improvement in genetic progress will provide further mitigation for the industry as it evolves to meet government’s net zero targets.

“In an industry facing new and novel challenges as well as some more historic ones it is important to recognise that solutions are not always far away,” says Mr Yates.

“Indeed, in many ways the Texel breed offers a modern and perfect solution to many of these challenges.

“The main influence Texel members have is the development of the Texel breed.

The Society has a proven track record of initiating, pioneering and supporting genetic improvement, the development of novel tools, through the goodwill provided

by Society members allowing researchers access to their flocks for data collection.”

The Texel Sheep Society’s genetic improvement services support breeders and producers who wish to identify Texel genetics to meet their own breeding objectives.

“While there are a variety of differing and useful mitigation measures for GHG emission on sheep farms, the Society remains focused on its purpose; To support its members in developing the Texel breed with a focus on increased genetic gain for cherished commercial profit traits,” states Mr Yates.

SM

UK sheep production Mutton and lamb production in the UK was valued at

£1.3bn in 2020, accounting for

5% of the UK’s gross agricultural output.

Tackling GHG emissions • Genetic improvement in traits linked to productivity, health, feed efficiency and, in future, CH4 production directly, will also be a positive step to improving the carbon footprint.

Although the short-term impact may be relatively low, with genetic gains being cumulative year-on-year and permanent, it is an important strategic mitigation tool.

The UK is about

60% self-sufficient in terms of meat and milk, more so in sheepmeat. As such, the livestock industry provides a vital source of high quality, nutritious food to the UK population and beyond.

• In a scientific study the average GHG emissions intensity of lamb produced in lowland systems was found to be 11kg CO2 eq/kg of liveweight and 13-18kg CO2 eq/kg of liveweight for upland and hill systems, respectively.

The UK’s livestock industry accounts for about

6% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK.

• Genetic improvement can help reduce emissions for the ewe flock when focused on component traits, such as productivity relative to ewe size, feed efficiency, longevity, health, lamb growth and carcass traits.

Methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and, to a much lesser degree, carbon dioxide (CO2) are the main contributors.

*Source CIEL

*Source CIEL

Texel as a solution • The Texel breed influences both maternal and terminal genetics and as result the Society’s genetic improvement services support breeders and producers who wish to identify Texel genetics to meet their own breeding objectives.

• For terminal sires, only genetic information for growth and carcass traits should be used.

• For maternal sires, prolificacy and mothering ability are essential, with a focus on 8 week weights providing accurate value for growth from milk.

Pedigree breeders should use services to monitor and manage flock genetic improvement.

SCAN HERE

• Such information should be part of farm decision making now, to deliver longterm emission reductions.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

31

R E G I S T R Y

developments To further support breeders in their objectives the Society continues to invest in the iTexel database, bringing new developments online over the past few months, with more rolling out over the next 12 months.

Flock inbreeding analysis

Lamb recording

All members are now able to see an analysis of the level of inbreeding within their flocks. This is a bespoke report that shows the trends in numbers of birth notified lambs born each year with inbreeding coefficients above and below 7%, the recommended threshold below which is an acceptable level of inbreeding within a breeding programme.

The report also provides information on a flock’s average level of inbreeding and the average level of inbreeding within the breed.

Information for the last 10 years (where available) is included and the analyses will be updated periodically throughout the year. The reports are available on the Reports page of iTexel and are called ‘My Inbreeding Trends’. Breeders should aim to keep inbreeding coefficients below 7%.

Substitutions in sales catalogues To make the sales cataloguing process smoother, members are now able to update substituted animals in a sale catalogue right up until the substitutions closing date. This means there is no longer a need to contact the Society office when a substituted animal needs to be replaced for any reason.

When recording embryo transfer lambs in iTexel, it is now possible to generate recipient animals without the need to type in their individual ID numbers. This is accessed through the ‘Edit sire’ screen and ‘Add new recipient’. Members simply tick the autogenerate ID box, type in the number of recipients to add, and then click ‘Generate’. The required number of recipients will appear in the flock list on the ‘Record lambs’ screen for lambs to be added to in the usual way.

Any auto-generated recipient animals will be deleted from a member’s flock list at the end of the year.

Flock Admin To help members keep their flock records up to date on iTexel, it is now possible to remove recipient ewes from a flock list without updating them individually. Simply click the ‘Remove all recipients’ box at the top of the ‘Flock admin’ screen. The number of recipients and their IDs will be displayed in a pop up window, clicking ‘Remove’ will delete these animals from your flock list, clicking ‘Cancel’ will mean the recipients remain visible in your flock.

Ongoing R&D drives breed forward The Society continues to be involved in a number of research projects, both across the wider industry and also its own internal projects, all aimed at ensuring the breed remains the number one choice for sheep farmers.

Ed Smith, Society data and technical services manager, says the Society’s ongoing involvement in research projects is vital to maintain progress and deliver against the objectives of the Society’s breed development strategy.

“While research and development may seem slightly removed from the everyday

34

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

work of breeders and their flocks it has been instrumental in placing the Texel breed at the top of the sheep sector and delivers benefits to all breeders over time.”

The Society is currently involved in two international research projects, the Smarter (Small RuminanTs breeding for Efficiency and Resilience project and the GrasstoGas (Strategies to mitigate GHG emissions from pasture-based sheep systems [G2G]) project.

Both of these projects involve the Society working with research partners across the globe to develop novel solutions for the sheep sector going forward, explains Dr Smith.

Ongoing research will yield benefits for all breeders long-term.

R E G I S T R Y

Help button There is now a ‘Help’ link on the iTexel menu (on the left-hand side) for members to use when they are unsure of how to do something on iTexel. The link takes members to the Society’s YouTube page where there are several instructional videos describing how to complete many of the most common tasks on iTexel.

Cataloguing The inbreeding coefficient value will now be presented in sales catalogues for all animals the information is available for. This will be presented below the animal’s date of birth and provides information on the level of inbreeding within an animal.

The inbreeding information should be used in conjunction with the Mating Predictor on iTexel to give an indication of the level of inbreeding that might be expected from a mating.

It is not necessarily the case that animals with a high level of inbreeding will produce offspring with high levels of inbreeding.

When members are unsure of the impact of a mating on inbreeding within their flock they should use the Mating Predictor tool on iTexel.

In development

Breeder search flock code The breeder search results displayed on iTexel have been updated on iTexel to include the flock code beside the flock prefix on the tile that displays the breeder’s name.

This will help those searching the database ensure they have identified the correct flock/breeder.

Society staff are working hard to deliver further iTexel developments to improve the site’s functionality and members’ abilities to manage their flocks online. Areas currently in the early stages of development include; • the ability to complete sales pre-entries through iTexel and request DNA kits for ram registrations.

• the option of receiving Scrapie genotype information on genotyped animals through iTexel.

• the publication of economic indexes for all Texel animals.

BLUP run date on texelplus reports The texelplus reports (available to texelplus members) have now been updated to include the BLUP run date that the data are from. This means that texelplus members are now able to be confident that the data presented is from the latest analysis.

Smarter: SMAll RuminanTs breeding for Efficiency and Resilience SMARTER is a pan-European project with 26 partners (including the Texel Society) investigating how to breed livestock with increased production efficiency and disease resilience.

The major aims of the project are to develop innovative strategies to improve resilience and efficiency related traits in sheep and goats. It will achieve this by generating and validating novel traits, improving and developing genome-based solutions and tools and establishing new breeding and selection strategies. The Texel Society is contributing to

the determinism of feed efficiency and health and welfare resilience.

A recent study by SRUC and Teagasc, funded in part through the Smarter project, has investigated the potential for across-country genetic evaluations of Texel sheep in Ireland and the UK. The work focused on body weight and carcass composition traits and used records from more than 12,000 Irish animals and more than 21,000 animals raised in the UK. Strong links and correlations were found between the animals from the two countries and the project demonstrated that there was

potential for a considerable improvement in the rate of genetic gain using single breed evaluations methods, rather than multi More information breed as is used availabe at: currently. Though the level of improvement achieved would depend heavily on the selection decisions of breeders and the more widespread use of genetic evaluation SCAN HERE information.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

35

T E C H N I C A L

Through the Society’s involvement in the Smarter project an opportunity has arisen to carry out a desk-based exercise into naturally occurring genetic mutations within the breed.

When a mutation occurs within a gene, this can, in some instances, prevent that gene from functioning. Where the gene is involved in a key process such as bone or muscle development, foetal losses may result.

All animals have two copies of each gene and it’s only when both copies contain the same mutation that problems arise.

However, the use of assisted reproduction technologies reduces the overall gene pool and diversity of the breed and increases the likelihood of an animal having two copies of the non-functional gene.

A technique has been developed to screen for these lethal mutations by analysing genomic information and identifying genes where no animals have two copies of a particular variant. Where these exist, it’s possible that the animals with two copies have died in the early stages of development. 11 mutations linked to embryonic death have been identified in five dairy cattle breeds, and 11 candidates identified in Lacaune dairy sheep in France.

The Society has agreed to make available genotype data accessible to Smarter research partners at INRA, France, to investigate the presence or absence of similar mutations in the Texel breed. If any are identified, these may, in time, produce insights into why some animals may appear to have reduced levels of fertility.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 772787.

GrassToGas: Strategies to mitigate GHG emissions from pasture-based sheep systems The overall aim of this project is to find new ways of feeding and breeding sheep to reduce their impact on the environment.

The Texel Society is working with its long-term research partner, SRUC in this project that also involves organisations from France, Ireland, Turkey, Norway, New Zealand and Uruguay. Collectively the G2G project combines international scientific and industry expertise to measure two key factors that affect the environmental impact of sheep: feed efficiency, the amount of feed required to produce one unit of meat or milk, and methane emissions.

36

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

The research at SRUC is using lambs bred from sires sourced from the Texel Sheep Society’s texelplus programme, to investigate the effects of sire and breeding values on these measurements. Feed intake, growth rate and body composition data will be collected from 250 lambs this summer, that have been sired by five new project rams. Building on the data collected in 2021, rumen volumes have been determined for the lambs that were CT scanned and the SRUC team are

investigating links between this and other measures that were obtained.

The UK part of the project receives funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Research Council of Norway and New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries.

www.cliffefarm.co.uk CLIFFE FARM VETS ADVANCED SHEEP BREEDING SERVICES • Laparoscopic AI of ewes • Flushing and embryo transfer • Embryo Flush and Freeze • On-clinic or on-farm* • Semen processing, freezing and storage • Semen collection and ram fertility testing • Ram vasectomies • Based in Laughton, East Sussex BN8 6AJ

*Minimum charge applies

Competitive rates and excellent service Please contact Nick on 01273 473232 or email: farmenquiries@cliffevets.co.uk

Cressage&Scholars 2022-02_Layout 1 25/02/2022 08:10 Page 1

CRESSAGE & SCHOLARS

NEW SERVICE SIRES: CRESSAGE EVEREST • KNOCK EAGLE EYE • CRESSAGE EPICENTRE

CRESSAGE ENFORCER - 38K

CRESSAGE EPICENTRE - 30K CONTACT:

KNOCK EAGLE EYE - 11K

CORBO DORA - 13K

MATT ELLIS - 07977 932435 • WILL MCCAFFREY - 07783 254080

T E C H N I C A L

Breed Development Strategy The Texel Sheep Society’s Breed Development Strategy complements the Society’s “Memorandum of Association”. The strategy provides the necessary strategic direction for the Board over the next decade for the improvement of the Texel sheep breed, explains Society chief executive John Yates.

“Additionally, it addresses how the Society’s own services need to evolve as part of an integrated breed development and business model.”

This strategy aims to satisfy the requirements of the breed, breeders and the wider sheep industry as no part of the industry can work in isolation:

Breed benefits

Breeder benefits

Industry benefits

• Maintain and enhance the breed’s reputation for consistency, quality and better financial return for lamb producers

• Maintain national demand for breeders’ animals

• Provide opportunities to collaborate for mutual benefit

• Minimise the risk of substitution for alternative terminal sire breeds

• Provide opportunity for researchers access the largest available ovine dataset for mutual benefit

• Maintain and enhance market relevance and dominance by developing profit traits that are of commercial value

• Provide opportunities to be associated with industry leading, innovative genomic projects

“All of the Society’s work in developing texelplus and iTexel is aimed at further delivering this breed development strategy and assisting breeders to develop their flocks to the best of their abilities for the benefit of the breed and their customers,” adds Mr Yates.

38

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

T E C H N I C A L

slashed Members using the Society’s texelplus genetic improvement service can now do so at much reduced cost, following a recent decision to overhaul the service fees.

fees

£20 Annual fee

Subsidised

Charges for the service will now consist of one £20/year flock fee, a significant reduction from the previous £97/year flock fee, explains Society breed development committee chairman Steve Smith.

CT scanning

£30k/year member benefits Ewe surcharge

scrapped

“In addition to the reduction in the annual charge, the individual ewe surcharge has been scrapped, resulting in a saving of more than £180/ year for an average 40-ewe flock.”

Mr Smith said the increased collection of valuable phenotypic data which would result from these lower fees would provide immediate benefits to Texel breeders and the wider industry.

“It will also add support to the Society’s groundbreaking genomic research and development projects which are progressing toward the introduction of genomic breeding values.

“This reduction in fees will provide a direct financial benefit to Society members of £30,000 a year equating to more than £300,000 over the next 10 years when taking into account inflationary influence. This is in addition to the ongoing commitment from the Society in research and development, yielding further direct and indirect benefits for Society members.

For those Society members wishing to take further steps to simply record key data, ultrasound and CT scanning services continue to be available from third party contractors.

“The Society continues to offer subsidies to members for CT scanning and is lobbying to ensure ultrasound scanning charges are equal across all breeds, including Texels.”

SIGN UP TO

Deep phenotyping farms The Society is further developing its Phenotype Farm Initiative to create a more formal cluster of Phenotyping Farms that carry out deep phenotyping and genotyping within their flocks. Sourced from the Society’s texelplus membership, these farms will collect information on all animals in their flocks. These measurements will support the further development of the breed and the Society’s offerings to the wider membership. The phenotype farms will be complemented by data collected from texelplus and other flocks, including on traits such as birth weight and lambing ease.

Data collection texelplus breeders are strongly encouraged to record lambing ease and weight information on all animals at various times. Birth weights and lambing ease scores can be submitted through iTexel when completing birth notifications. Eight-week weights can be collected from animals between 42 and 84 days old and recorded through the iTexel weight screens.

Ultrasound scanning Those members who choose to use the ultrasound scanning services available, will have their ultrasound weights and measures uploaded on their behalf by Society staff. Animals should be ultrasound scanned when the average weight is around 35-40kg and individual animals don’t weigh less than 25kg.

Members should also pay close attention to the data submission deadlines published on the texelplus page of the Society website; any data received after the deadlines listed are not guaranteed to be included in the next evaluation.

Those members who choose not to ultrasound scan their animals, can still submit a scan weight through the iTexel weight screens.

Gimmer weights texelplus members are also encouraged to submit mature ewe weights to the Society. All gimmers should be weighed at tupping and the information submitted to the Society for inclusion in the next evaluation.

SCAN HERE

Add value, add texelplus • Texelplus ram lambs averaged £2750 more at Lanark • 22% higher clearance of texelplus shearling rams at Welshpool • Texelplus shearling rams averaged £865 more at Worcester • Texelplus ram lambs averaged £178 more at Welshpool • Top 5% texelplus ram lambs averaged 3x sale average at Ballymena

CT scanning Members undertaking ultrasound scanning are strongly encouraged to CT scan a selection of ram lambs from their flocks to identify the best animals more accurately. CT scanning provides the gold standard of trait measurements, being heavily subsided by the Society and levy boards, it provides the best opportunity to capture valuable profit trait information, such as lean yield across the entire carcass.

In partnership with ultrasound scanning, CT offers the opportunity to accelerate the rate of response to selection for improved carcass quality. CT scanning can also provide information on characteristics that cannot be measured by ultrasound, such as muscle shape, muscularity, muscle volume, intramuscular fat and length.

In addition, all lambs which are CT scanned are also genotyped by the Society at no cost to members.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

39

T E C H N I C A L

Society continues R&D push In the meantime the Society is also working on a brace of internal research projects in conjunction with a number of trusted research partners.

Both of these projects are looking closely at the value Texel provides to the GB sheep industry and how that can be maximised through further breed development as a result of providing breeders with additional breeding tools.

The first of these internal projects is the CIEL Seed Fund project.

This is a project which involves road mapping to support early adoption and implementation of routine genomic evaluations in Texel sheep.

The aim of this project is to develop a road map for the integration of genomic evaluations into the Texel Society’s genetic improvement programme and deliver the outputs through iTexel. Working with Egenes, AbacusBio and Rezare, this project will investigate the effect the inclusion of genomic data may have on the quality of pedigree and levels of inbreeding and how animals and flocks might be re-ranked for

The second of these internal projects is the Texel breeding objective project which is seeking to develop a unique breeding objective for the Texel breed in the UK.

individual breeding values and overall indexes.

The project also aims to outline the ongoing needs of a phenotyping and genotyping strategy that forms the genomic reference population, along with phenotyping practices across flocks.

This will help to shape the Society’s genetic evaluations service and will have an ongoing impact on the Society’s future direction, shaping the maintenance and delivery of genetic and genomic breed development tools.

Managed effectively and carefully, through the provision of this project, it will drive a paradigm shift in the delivery of breed development tools to pedigree Texel sheep breeders in the UK. Transitioning much of the Society’s research activity into practice through partnership with Egenes and AbacusBio, this project will provide a legacy on how the Society operates its genetic improvement and registry services.

Breeding objectives enable breeders to direct their breeding emphasis towards specific market outcomes, or address key production needs for their farming systems. They also have a significant influence on many different aspects of the breeding program including: • Which traits to record to increase profitability • The choice of animals to be the parents of the next generation and the mating strategies for those parents • The choice of lines to introduce into a production system.

The Society has been working with AbacusBio since 2014, with AbacusBio carrying out economic analyses, providing consulting services on genetic and genomic improvement planning and supporting breeding program design and implementation.

An aim for the Society for several years has been to implement its own breeding objective, reflecting the breed’s position as the most progressive, forward-looking breed within the UK. This project has three main aims, to: • Produce and test a breeding objective including economic selection indexes, • Review the historic and potential future economic value of Texel genetic improvement to the UK sheep industry, using the latest metrics derived from the economic indexes.

• Calculate the environmental trend and historic emission reductions resulting from genetic gain in the economic indexes (measuring emissions impact).

42

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

The breeding objective will allow farmers to directly estimate the effect of breeding decisions on farm profitability and it will allow the Society to measure the economic impact of genetic improvement. Further work will also show how implementing a breeding objective will affect the ranking of animals and selection decisions.

An economic analysis of historic genetic improvement will also provide a benchmark for the value of benefits generated by genetic improvement in the future. Calculation of the trend in environmental impact as a result of genetic gain in the economic indexes potentially enables the Society to analyse the contribution of the breed’s genetic improvement to reducing contribution of reducing GHG emissions and supporting net zero targets.

South Wales Texel Breeders Association Combine business and pleasure with a visit, JOIN US AT OUR EVENTS & SALES

BRYNDERI FLOCK (BQC) C & S Ball, Upper Cwm Farm, Llantilio Crossenny, Abergavenny Mob: 07807 366640 Email: chrisuppercwm@gmail.com

SCOLTON FLOCK (RWS) W O J Reed & Co Ltd., Upper Scolton, Spittal, Haverfordwest, Pembs. SA62 5QL Tel: 01437 731332 Mob: 07811 186377 Email: upperscolton@gmail.com

TOWY TEXELS FLOCK (YJB) J & B Booker, Cae Cadno, Taliaris, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, SA19 7DP Mob: 07887 648710 Email: towytexels@gmail.com

ONNEN FLOCK (TAS) S Thomas, Maesyllan, Login, Whitland, Carmarthenshire, SA34 0XA. Tel: 01437 563366 Mob: 07870 279560 Email: eurylann@gmail.com

TREFERE FLOCK (DBT) Davies Bros, Trefere Uchaf, Penparc, Cardigan, SA43 1RN Tel: 01239 810381 Mob: 07773 144709 Email: gwyn.trefere@gmail.com

CAENANTMELYN FLOCK (WCQ) O J Watkins, Caenantmelyn Bungalow, Hay-on-wye, Herefordshire, HR3 5RH Tel: 01497 820597 Mob: 07812 685415 Email: owenwatkins@live.co.uk

CAEBETRAN FLOCK (DFC) G & H Davies & Son, Caebetran Fawr Farm, Felinfach, Brecon, Powys, LD3 0UL Tel: 01874 754460 Mob:07811 943351 Email: hazelcaebetran@aol.com

MILLEND FLOCK (WCM) R M & G L Watkins, Upper Cwm Farm Craswall, Herefordshire, HR2 0PH Tel: 01981 510249 Email: watkins249499@btinternet.com

SCURLAGE CASTLE FLOCK (EKS) E Evans & Son, Scurlage Castle Farm, Reynoldston, Swansea, SA3 1BA Tel: 01792 390714 Mob:07790 565746 Email: kevans243@gmail.com

FERN FLOCK (WAF) W L & A Windsor & Son, Fforest Farm, Whitland, Carmarthenshire, SA34 0LS Tel: 01994 241078 Mob:07976 408966 Email: adrian.fforest@outlook.com

ABERCRYCHAN FLOCK (HXA) J W & J A Hardwick, Abercrychan Farm, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0YL Tel: 01550 720363 Mob: 07977 060225 Email: jwhardwick@btinternet.com

WELSH FLOCK (ESW) S& T Evans, Coedhirion, Llanddarog, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, SA32 8BQ Tel: 01267 275666 Mob: 07580 752898 Email: welshfarmhouse@hotmail.com

MARLSBROUGH FLOCK (HMJ) Marlsbrough Farm Ltd, (Andrew & Judith Hughes), Marlsbrough, Portfield Gate, Haverfordwest, SA62 3NP Mob: 07974 967010 Tel: 01437 710395 Email: judith@marlsbrough.com

STELFOX FLOCK (WES) Stelfox farms LTD, Lower Solbury Farm, Walwyns Castle, Haverfordwest, Pembs, SA62 3SD. Tel: 07814 912694 Email: stelfoxtexels@gmail.com

RIPPERSTON FLOCK (JMR) M James, Sunnyhill, Castle Pill Road, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, SA73 1HE Tel: 01646 692777 Mob: 07970 785822 Email: mfjames@hotmail.co.uk

SOLBURY FLOCK (WOS) O & J Williams, Llangwm, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA62 4JB Tel: 07970792995 Email: Owenwills500@gmail.com

LLANTHOMAS FLOCK (JML) G P & M Jones, Llanthomas Farm, Llanigon, Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR3 5PU Tel: 01497 820096 Mob: 07432 281889 Email: paulandlynnejones@btinternet.com

GEREAFON FLOCK Shae Price, 10 Llais Yr Afon, Garth, Llangammarch Wells, Powys, LD4 4AE Mobile – 0779 2652184 Email – shaeprice56@gmail.com

MABON FLOCK (JGG) G W & F M Jones, Garth Hall Farm, Llanfabon, Pontypridd, CF37 4HP Tel: 01443 740292 Mob: 07768 936202 Email: garthhallfarm@aol.com TYNEWYDD FLOCK (MDY) D J & M O Morgan, Tynewydd, Llangors, Brecon, Powys, LD3 7UA Tel: 01874 658413 Mob: 07976 975363 Email: derimorgan@gmail.com

TOPBANK FLOCK Lewis Morgan, Penglanowen Farm, New Cross, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 4LX Mobile – 07949 166129 Email – lowrireed@gmail.com COEDMORE FLOCK (JLC) E Jones, Coedmore Hall, Cellan, Lampeter, SA48 8HU Mobile - 07890622318 email – emily.coedmore@outlook.com

SouthWalesTexelBreedersAssociation

CLUB EVENTS AGM - tbc

June Lamb Competition Flock Competition July Club Trip Shearling Competition August Ram event tbc NEW MEMBERS WELCOME For Further Information Contact Club Secretary – Derfel Harries 07966 841304 Email - derfel@ctf-uk.com

SALES 2022

Monday, 1st August Early NSA Ram Sale at the Royal Welsh Showground Sunday, 11th September Club Sale at Llandovery Monday, 19th September Main NSA Ram Sale at Royal Welsh Showground Friday, 16th December In-Lamb Ewes at Llandovery

CLUB OFFICIALS Chairman - Owen Hughes Tel: Owen Hughes 07843664481 Email: valetexels@gmail.com Secretary - Derfel Harries Tel: 01550 720 440 or 07966 841 304 Email: derfel@ctf-uk.com Treasurer - Gill Watkins Tel: 01981 510249 Email: watkins249499@btinternet.com

e r u t a n g i S

The Shrewsbury

AUGUST sunday

7

TH

Sale

NEW SALE OF

Pedigree Texel Ram Lambs, Ewe Lambs & Shearling Ewes

OPEN TO ALL BREEDERS Shrewsbury Auction Centre, Bowman Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR Tel: 01743 462 620 market@hallsgb.com

WE OFFER AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF: • Hurdles, Feeding Equipment, Creep Feeders; • Lambing Time Essentials; • Healthcare, Supplements and Mineral Buckets;

• Marking and Mating Products; • Showing and Handling Equipment; • 24/7 Smartrace Boluses.

Stockmaster 8ft Champion Creep Feeder

www.stockmasteragri.com Global Building, 8 Steeple Industrial Estate, Antrim, Co. Antrim, BT41 1AB Telephone: 028 2501 3555 Email: info@stockmasteragri.com

Y O U T H

D E V E L O P M E N T

P R O G R A M M E

Five Nations Weekend is back The Five Nations Weekend returns this year having had a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

Rowlands, before attendees head back to Shrewsbury for another evening of socialising.

This year’s event, taking place in Wales and the border counties will feature three flock visits as well as a number of other activities.

YDP coordinator Ailish Ross said the weekend promised to be an action packed event with opportunities for young enthusiasts to get together in a relaxed, informal setting.

Taking place in early July, the event kicks off on Friday 1st July at the event hotel, Shrewsbury, with the first day including a flock visit to the Plasucha flock of Robert Bennett.

The evening will see attendees enjoying a social outing to The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury.

On Saturday 2nd July there will be two flock visits, with the first of these being to the Caereinion flock of Cefyn Pryce and family.

From there the day moves on to the Usk Vale flock of Willy Davis and Paul

“Previous Five Nations events have given young people the opportunity to learn, socialise and build relationships with fellow Texel enthusiasts from across the UK and Ireland and this year’s event will be no different.”

For more information and to book your place see www.texel.uk/ydp SCAN HERE

The YDP committee is grateful for the generous support of the event sponsors and their commitment to the future of the Texel breed and the wider sheep industry.

CNS

Clinwil Nutrition Services ‘the trace element specialists’

46

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

rd 1st - 3 July 2022

Y D P

FIVE NATIONS EVENT 2022 Bringing together Young Texel Breeders from five nations for a weekend of flock visits and competitions

Keep up to date on britishtexel

Bookings open 14th March 2022 texel.uk/ydp Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

47

Y O U T H

D E V E L O P M E N T

P R O G R A M M E

Texel Spotlight Award for Young Breeders The Society is pleased to announce the launch of the Texel Sheep Society Spotlight Award in 2022.

The award will be presented to an active young Texel breeder, their local Club believes has made an outstanding contribution to the breed, their club and flock within their local area or nationally.

All 19 regional Texel clubs across the country will be invited to nominate an individual who must be under the age of 35, a full member of the Society or actively involved with a full member’s flock, that they believe goes above and beyond for the breed.

with all nominees then considered by a selection panel, including representatives of Society staff and board of directors, with additional interviews conducted online.

Does your club have a young breeder who deserves the award?

Does a member of your club committee qualify, who is dedicated to their role?

Is there an individual who is committed to the Club’s Show and Sales? Has a breeder excelled with their stock, raising the profile of the breed across the country and in your local area?

Then nominate them!

The top three individuals and their flocks will feature within the Spring Bulletin 2023 and the overall Spotlight Award winner will be presented with a perpetual trophy.

Clubs will be invited to complete an online nomination form through the Society website in November 2022,

YDP committee Following the departure of Jo Smith from the Society’s YDP committee Ben Roberts of the Poundapitt flock, Devon, has been elected to represent Southern England.

Meanwhile, David Chestnutt has retained his seat on the committee representing Northern Ireland.

YDP co-ordinator Ailish Ross said the committee was now working on a number of initiatives to support young Texel enthusiasts over the coming months. “Activities have been limited over the last two years due to the pandemic, but there should be plenty to look forward to this year,” she added.

Society supports NSA events The Society’s YDP initiative continues to support the next generation of the UK sheep industry, supporting NSA Young Shepherds’ competitions at NSA ScotSheep and The NSA Sheep Event.

Society chief executive John Yates said these competitions were an excellent way to support the next generation of sheep farmers and encourage best practice and excellence in the UK sheep industry.

“Supporting these competitions is just one of a number of activities the Society undertakes in support of the younger generation. There is no doubting that with a changing focus in agricultural support across the UK in future years the sheep industry is facing challenging times.

48

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

“The sheep sector has plenty of enthusiastic young entrants, but they need every opportunity available to them to succeed. This is vital if the UK is to remain a competitive player in the world sheep industry,” he explained.

Many of those who have competed in the Young Shepherds competitions in past years are now a key part of successful businesses, filling a wide range of essential roles within the industry.

“The Texel Sheep Society youth development programme is pleased to have played a role in helping to support NSA in developing these people for the benefit of both themselves and the wider sheep industry,” added Mr Yates.

13,000gns Corbo Gimmer (Lot 63)

£65,000 Campsie Drambuie (Lot 2840) Kelso Ram Sales 2021

100,000gns Auldhouseburn Expression (Lot 292)

SALES 2022 *** Scottish National Show & Sale of Texel Sheep *** WEDNESDAY 24TH – THURSDAY 25TH AUGUST

(2021 Averages – 42 Gimmers averaged £1647.50; and 290 Ram Lambs averaged £3818.20)

THURSDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER Scottish Texel Sheep Breeders Club Show & Sale of Texel Sheep

(including Second Part Dispersal of the Rusha flock - on behalf of Messrs JW Gibb & Son) (2021 Averages - 15 Shearling Rams averaged £515.20, 105 Ram Lambs averaged £594.90, and 7 Gimmers averaged £357.00)

Show & Sale of Texel Prime Lambs – MONDAY 1ST AUGUST Lanark Crackers In-Lamb Sale - FRIDAY 9TH DECEMBER Select Seven In-Lamb Sale - SATURDAY 10TH DECEMBER FRIDAY 20TH JANUARY 2023 LANARK LIMELIGHTS

Online Timed Auction of In-Lamb Females and Geld Ewe Hoggs

WEEKLY PRIMESTOCK SALES

MONDAY – LANARK

WEDNESDAY – FORFAR

STORE SALES SEASONAL • FARM DISPLENISHING & DISPERSAL SALES FURNITURE SALES & PLANT AND SHRUB SALES • VALUATIONS & ARBITRATIONS ESTATE AND PROPERTY AGENCY MANAGEMENT • BASIC PAYMENT SCHEME

Auctioneers, Valuers and Estate Agents

ASSURED PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Lanark Agricultural Centre Hyndford Road Lanark, ML11 9AX Tel: (01555) 662281 Fax: (01555) 665100 lanark@lawrieandsymington.com

The Forfar Mart 48 John Street Forfar, Angus, DD8 3EZ Tel: (01307) 462651 Fax: (01307) 464290 forfar@lawrieandsymington.com

Show Judges This summer beckons the return of a full summer show season for the first time since 2019, with the Society supporting a number of major shows across the UK as usual.

Meanwhile, the late summer will see the Society’s National Sales take place once again.

Each of these events will see experienced Texel enthusiasts take to the ring to judge the entries, here’s a little more about each of them.

R O YA L U L S T E R S H O W

R O YA L T H R E E C O U N T I E S S H O W

11th - 14th May 2022

17th - 19th June 2022

Henry Gamble - Springwell

Will McCaffrey Scholars and Cressage

Texels have been a big part of Henry’s life since his father started the Springwell flock in 1977. The flock regularly exhibits at Balmoral Show and the NI National sale.

Will McCaffrey originally established the Scholars Flock in 2004 on his parents and now family holding on the Cheshire/Shropshire border.

Within a few short years, the flock had developed into a prominent name in the show and sale rings alike.

Henry has judged many shows across the British Isles from Orkney to Kilkenny, including the Royal Highland Show, the Royal Welsh Show, the Scottish National, the All Ireland Texel Championships and the Irish Texel Society Show and Sale at Blessington. He also has judged regional flock competitions for the Scottish Club and the Northern Ireland Club.

Henry has been the chairman of the Northern Ireland Club previously and had the honour of being chairman of the British Texel Society representing Northern Ireland on the Society board for seven years.

Henry is looking forward to judging at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Show 2022. Having attended and exhibited livestock at Balmoral throughout his life, Henry is more accustomed to showing, but is excited by this opportunity for judging at this prestigious event in the Texel calendar.

50

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

In 2009 Scholars sheep took champion, reserve champion and interbreed titles at Shropshire and Cheshire County Shows. It was 2011 which saw the first major accolade at the Royal Welsh when Will achieved first prize with a gimmer.

Reserve male champion at the Great Yorkshire Show with a ram lamb then followed in 2012 with this lamb later selling for £40,000. Will was in the ribbons again in the Autumn of 2012 with second prize in the open ram class at Lanark and later selling for 13,000gns.

A trio of back-to-back achievements at the Royal Welsh soon followed with the flock taking reserve female champion in 2015, reserve overall champion in 2016 and culminating in breed champion in 2017 at the flock’s last outing at the show.

Additional female titles were added to in 2019, again at the Scottish National Sale, with female championship honours falling to a gimmer which later sold for 6500gns.

In 2021 Will began to managing the Shropshire-based Cressage Flock for the Ellis Family and within his first season sold ram lambs to 38,000gns and 30,000gns.

R O YA L H I G H L A N D S H O W 23rd - 26th June 2022

Robert H Wilson Milnbank Texels have been a big part of Robbie’s life since he started looking after the Milnbank flock for Margaret Lyon in 1998 before going on to buy the flock in 2010.

Royal Highland

Royal Ulster

Great Yorkshire

One of his best achievements was having the top average of £10,185 for five lambs at Lanark in 2011. Further memorable achievements for the flock at Lanark have included selling Milnbank Ur the Boy for 40,000gns in 2013 and winning overall champion and reserve overall champion twice since 2010. Females from the flock have sold to highs of 20,000gns, 18,000gns and 16,000gns.

Robbie thoroughly enjoys bringing a team of sheep to the Royal Highland Show every year with a highlight being bringing out the overall Texel champion in 2017 with LYM1602144 by the 16,000gns Glenside Willy Nilly and again in 2021 at the Royal Highland Showcase with LYM2003913, a daughter of the 15,000gns Knock Yardsman.

Robbie is very much looking forward to judging The Royal Highland Show 2022.

G R E AT YO R K S H I R E S H O W 12th - 15th July 2022

Richard Currrie - Tullagh Richard has been involved with Texel sheep from a young age when the Tullagh Texel Flock was established more than 40 years ago. Now farming full time after working as a trading manager, the family farm includes parents John and Margaret, wife Sara, and keen enthusiasts, daughters Katie, Molly, and Charlotte. Flock highlights include interbreed champion at Balmoral in 2005 and Lanark champion in 2016. Ram sales have topped with Saracen selling for 14,000gns and Dazzler for 10,500gns.

Other enterprises include flocks of Blue Leicesters and Dorsets as well as a flock of commercial ewes. Away from sheep, Richard manages the Tullygarley Charolais herd preparing bulls for show and sales. Having played rugby for Harper Adams and Peebles, following Ulster rugby is the preferred pasttime nowadays.

Richard is honoured to be judging the Great Yorkshire Show 2022 and looks forward to seeing members and their stock on the day.

Royal Welsh

Royal Three Counties

R O YA L W E L S H S H O W 18th - 21st July 2022

Robert Cockburn - Knap Since establishing the Knap flock in 2012, Texels have become a major part of Robert’s life and have contributed greatly to making it possible to take the step from shepherding to farming in his own right, ably assisted

by Dianne and children, Jasmine, Nathan and other part time help.

Alongside the 35 ewe Texel flock, Robert and family run 450 crossbred ewes and 150 Blackface ewes.

Greatest sale achievements have been the 145,000gns Knap Vicious Sid, the 20,000gns Knap You’re The Man, and selling in-lamb gimmers to 16,000gns and 12,000gns.

In the show ring, undoubtedly Robert’s proudest moment was winning the inaugurual Textravaganza Texel National Show at Carlisle in 2021 with Knap Daisy Duke.

Previously Robert has had the privilege of judging the Royal Ulster Show 2022 and this year is very much looking forward to judging the Royal Welsh and catching up with friends old and new.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

51

Sale Judges

Scottish National

Northern Ireland National

S C OT T I S H N AT I O N A L S A L E

Welsh National

24th-25th August 2022

English National

Myfyr Evans - Rhaeadr Having grown up on the family farm in North Wales, Myfyr’s abiding passion from a young age was livestock. His first venture in to pedigree sheep was the foundation of Rhaeadr Suffolk flock some 43 years ago, with the flock having enjoyed both show and sale success over the years.

That success has included champion and reserve interbreed at the Royal Highland and interbred champion at the Royal Welsh in its centenary year. The flock has also sold rams up to 70,000gns and females up to 19,000gns.

To date Myfyr has judged Suffolks at all the Royal shows, as well as judging in Belgium and judged the interbreed championship at the Royal Welsh, where he awarded the overall champion to a Texel gimmer from Procters Farm.

Further expansion of this pedigree interest came following the sale of the family’s dairy herd in the mid 1990s, with Myfyr purchasing some Charollais.

This flock too went on to enjoy great success, including winning the championship and reserve at the breed’s premier sale. However, this flock was sold in its entirety last year to ease the workload at home.

Having initially invested in Texels in the mid-1990s too, Myfyr re-estalbished the Rhaeadr flock in 2016, with females from Baltier and Auldhouseburn.

Success quickly followed, with the sale of Rhaeadr Best of the Best for 125,000gns in 2018 and a sale topping gimmer at Lanark the following year at 9000gns.

52

Builth Wells

W E L S H N AT I O N A L S A L E 27th August 2022

Rosie Boden Sportsmans and Mellor Vale Born and bred into Texels, Rosie has been around the breed all her life with both the Sportsmans and Mellor Vale flocks, taking a keen interest in producing top drawer Texels at home in Cheshire.

Neither Rosie nor the Sportsmans or Mellor Vale flocks will need much by way of introduction to Texel breeders, with the flocks regularly among the top prices at Society sales and also often among the prize winners at major shows, including the Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh.

In 2020 the Boden family set a new benchmark for the breed when selling Sportsmans Double Diamond for a world record price of 350,000gns.

Meanwhile, 2021 saw the flock take the championship at the English National.

Working in the family’s wood recycling and animal bedding business as well being involved with the family’s pedigree sheep and cattle enterprises, Rosie is no stranger to the show ring and says she’s delighted to have been been asked to judge the Welsh National sale.

Myfyr says he is honored and privileged to be invited to judge the Scottish National Sale 2022 at Lanark and is looking forward to the task.

“It’s great for young breeders to be given the opportunity to judge top quality sheep at a National Sale 2022 to help build their confidence and demonstrate their ability.”

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

E N G L I S H N AT I O N A L S A L E

N S A M A I N S A L E , B U I LT H W E L L S

29th - 30th August 2022

19th September 2022

Gordon Gray - Ettrick

Philip Weaver - Empire

After winning the prestigious RHAS Stockman of the Year in 1981, where the training sessions allowed privileged access to many UK top herds and flocks, Gordon’s appetite was whetted to producing his own pedigree stock.

Having seen imported Texels at Heathery Hall, he decided that they were the breed for him and these early purchases that started off as a hobby in 1982, form the mainstay of the pedigree side of the farming business today, running 60 ewes, plus recipients.

During 2009-2011 he served as Society chairman and president having previously been the Scottish Club chairman. Gordon has been honoured to have judged the Royal Highland, Royal Ulster, Royal Welsh and Great Yorkshire and has also enjoyed judging the Scottish, Welsh and NI National Sales as well as Blessington and in 2013 was honoured to judge the French National Texel Show.

Ettrick Texels have been a regular seller and enjoyed success at The English National for many years now, initially at Malvern and latterly at Worcester where he has seen it develop into the major sale that it now is, mainly due, he says, to the hard work and enthusiasm of Clive Roads.

A recent Worcester purchase, namely Hope Valley Dazzler, has proven to be very successful for the flock, being the sire of the 26,000gns Ettrick Earthquake.

At Sunnycroft the Gray family also run a small herd of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle, winning the Reserve Supreme Champion at the famous Perth Bull sales in 2009 and selling their first 10,000gns bull last year.

Over the years Gordon says he has been given tremendous support from his wife Christine and twin daughters, Isla and Lisa. Nowadays the running of the farm is shared with son, David, who also operates his own sheep and cattle pregnancy scanning business.

Gordon states that it’s a tremendous honour to have been asked to judge the English National Sale 2022 and he looks forward to catching up with friends old and new on Bank Holiday Monday.

It is a great honour to be asked to judge the Builth Wells NSA Main sale this year. It was 25 years ago that I first visited the sale and I was truly blown away by the vast numbers of quality Texel rams on offer.

It was that visit which set the seed for us to breed the type of Texel rams I had seen that weekend.

The Empire flock was first established in 2006 and our main focus is to breed shearling rams for commercial use, aiming to produce rams with length, good skins, and most importantly ease of lambing and longevity.

My wife Helen and I farm in Nottinghamshire, running a flock consisting of 1400 commercial ewes and 350 pedigree Texels. We also purchase 1000 store lambs for finishing on winter brassicas. Alongside the sheep we also run a bed and breakfast pig unit finishing about 4000 pigs a year.

Each year we aim to sell 130 shearling rams. With 25-30 selected for NSA sales at Builth and Melton Mowbray and the English National Sale, with the remainder being sold off our farm. Each year we listen to the feedback of how our rams are performing and what farmers are wanting in a Texel.

We are now extremely proud that we have established a Texel flock that is producing sheep which can thrive in commercial conditions.

I am looking forward to judging at Builth very much, which for me is the number one Texel Society shearling ram sale in the country.

N O R T H E R N I R E L A N D N AT I O N A L S A L E 3rd September 2022

John Trimble - Curley John Trimble has always had a keen interest in farming from an early age. He was particularly interested in sheep farming and it was on the back of this interest that he formed his own Texel flock, Curley Texels, back in 2000 with three gimmers.

In recent years with the help of embryo transfer the flock has enjoyed great success with gimmers at the January Gems in-lamb sale. Where numerous sale gimmers have gone on to breed show and sale winners.

Some flock highlights have been ram lambs to a top of 12,000gns and females to 4000gns. In 2014 a Curley bred gimmer produced the UK sire of the year, Oberstown Usain Bolt.

John has judged numerous club sales both in Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland and has also judged shows including Armagh, Lurgan and Limavady. He is honoured to be asked to judge the Northern Ireland National Texel sale and is looking forward to seeing what the National sale 2022 has in store.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

53

In-lamb sales

2021-22

The winter in-lamb female sales once again saw strong demand across the UK, with prices and clearance rates high at many sales and buyers investing heavily in the Texel breed. Prices peaked at 38,000gns at the Christmas Stars Sale, with many other sales seeing averages rising on the year too.

Top 10 prices at in-lamb sales 2021-22 Sale

Animal

Price

Vendor

Buyer

1

Christmas Stars

BCM2000835

38,000gns

Charlie Boden, Mellor Vale

Gary Beacom, Lakeview & Stuart Craft

2

Christmas Stars

BGS2004478

30,000gns

Boden & Davies, Sportsmans

Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands, Usk Vale & Alan and Sarah Powell, Monnow Hill

3

Select Seven

UVP2004086

26,000gns

Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands, Usk Vale Alan and Sarah Powell, Monnow Hill

4

Christmas Stars

CKP2004717

16,000gns

Robert Cockburn, Knap

Boden & Davies, Sportsmans

5=

Northern Stars

BGS2004487

16,000gns

Boden & Davies, Sportsmans

Sean McCloskey, Glenroe

5=

Northern Stars

BYZ2025905

16,000gns

Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn

S & J McCollam, Carmavy

7=

Christmas Stars

BGS2004367

12,000gns

Boden & Davies, Sportsmans

Kedzlie Farm, Kedzlie Farm

7=

Select Seven

BYZ2025864

12,000gns

Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn

James Theyer, Clanfield

9

Select Seven

GGH2010157

11,000gns

Gordon Gray, Ettrick

Messrs Teward, New View

10=

Select Seven

CJN2006887

10,000gns

J & H Clark, Garngour

Rob Evans, Hope Valley

10=

Christmas Stars

BGS2004543

10,000gns

Boden & Davies, Sportsmans

Stuart Barclay, Harestone & Messrs MacGregor, Allanfauld

54

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Drumadowney leads Ballymena Babes

A

n Auldhouseburn Crackerjack daughter from Stephen McNeilly’s Drumadowney flock led the trade at the Ballymena Babes sale when making 4800gns.

The sale topper, SPF2000447, is out of a Forkins-bred dam by Usk Vale War-Lord and sold carrying to Milnbank Ed Shearing.

She headed to a new home in Southern Ireland with L Brown, Listillion, Co Donegal.

Stephen McNeilly then paid the next best price of 3000gns for a Templepark gimmer from the Herdman family. This was HKP2001921, a Hope Valley Cougar daughter out of a dam by Teiglum Younggun and again in-lamb to Ed Shearing.

After that came a 1400gns call for a Blackstown gimmer from James Wilson and

Jack Wilson-Moses, with this one being a Knock Classic daughter, WWB2001490.

Bred from a ewe by Mullan Yeti, she was offered carrying twins to Sportsmans Encore and went home with Vincent Keenan, Omagh, Co Tyrone.

And two also then made 1000gns, the first being another by Knock Classic from the Blackstown flock. This gimmer, WWB2001488, is out of an Allanfauld Archimedes daughter and sold carrying twins to Sportsmans Encore. She sold to previous buyer Ian Millar.

Two then traded at 1100gns, with both being from the Blackstown entry. First was WWB2001538, another by Knock Classic and this time out of an Allanfauld Archimedes daughter and in-lamb to Lakeview Eye Catcher. She was taken by Ian Millar, Ballyclare.

Second to hit this price was WWB2001502, another by Knock Classic.

She’s out of a dam by Hull House Wing Commander and was another sold carrying to Sportsmans Encore, this time with triplets. Stephen McNeilly added to his purchases with this one.

The other at this money was a Drumadownery gimmer from Stephen McNeilly which sold to Messrs Wilson and Wilson-Moses. This one was SPF2000437, an Auldhouseburn Call Me Sam daughter out of a Forkins-bred dam by Duncryne Uber Cool. She was offered in-lamb with twins to Drumadowney Ed. Topping Ballymena Babes at 4800gns was this Auldhouseburn Crackerjack daughter.

Average; 49 gimmers £762.43 (J A McClelland and Son)

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

55

5500gns top at inaugural Builth Babes

T

he inaugural Builth Babes sale saw a strong demand from buyers the length and breadth of the UK, with a top call of 5500gns.

J Green of Banffshire, North Scotland. Two gimmers at 1800gns followed, sold by the Aman Flock to C B and G G Morris, Brecon and the Usk Vale flock to R J Whittingham, Raglan.

Leading the way was a shearling ewe from Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands’ Usk Vale Flock. She sold carrying twins by Morwood Eurostar and is sired by Hope Valley C The Stars and finds her new home in Rhayader with the Powell farmily of Holiday Wales, Llwyngwilym.

A small entry of ewe lambs sold to average £1662.50, with these led at 4000gns was the Claybury flock with a Claybury Delta Force daughter, which was purchased Stephen Cobbald, Sudbury, Suffolk.

Next top priced ewe was another C The Stars daughter from the Usk Vale flock, which flew to 3800gns and heads to

Other ewe lambs from the same pen also sold for 2800gns and 1100gns.

A limited selection of embryo recipients also sold to strong demand, averaging £1102.50 and topping at 1600gns from the Usk Vale Flock once again.

Flock Averages; Gimmers - Usk Vale £2251.20, Aman £1092, Teilo £930.30, Claybury £727.65, Fachell £656.25, Wydden £559.65, Ynystoddeb £551.25; Ewe lambs Rhaeadr £2139.90, Claybury £1281 (Builth Market Auctioneers).

Following closely at 3500gns was a Sportsman Dare Devil daughter from the Rhaeadr Flock which was purchased by the Morgan Family, Blaencar, Sennybridge.

Champion leads at Skipton

J

anuary’s Skipton Stormers in-lamb sale for the Northern Area Texel Club saw a top call of 1600gns paid for the pre-sale champion from Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands’ Usk Vale flock on their first visit to the fixture.

flock. This one is a Sportsmans Dare Devil daughter out of a dam by Kelso Pavarotti.

She sold to Dunham Farming, Langtoft.

Taking the top call was a gimmer by Hexel Born To Be Wild and out of a dam by Sportsmans Admiral II. She sold carrying to the 38,000gns Cressage Enforcer and went to M and J Tennant, Barrow, Clitheroe.

And at 900gns was a gimmer from Procters Farm, with this one being a Procters Charmer daughter out of a dam by Strathbogie Ya Belter. She sold carrying to Loughash Earmark and was knocked down to Jill Perrings, Giggleswick.

A second Usk Vale shearling ewe, a full sister to the sale leader, this time in-lamb to the Castlecairn Doodlebug son, Lakeview Earn Your Keep, made 1000gns when joining P and S Barnes, Cropton, Pickering.

Second best of the sale at 1500gns was a ewe lamb from Myfyr Evans’ Rhaeadr

56

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Another from the same home and the same way bred then sold at 1300gns, while a third made 1200gns.

Averages; gimmers £474, ewe lambs £626, ewes £472 (Craven Cattle Marts).

Top call at 1600gns was Usk Vale’s champion.

Second best was Myfyr Evans’ ewe lamb at 1500gns.

THE NORTHERN IRELAND TEXEL SHEEP BREEDER'S CLUB NORTHERN IRELAND NATIONAL SALE 2022 3rd September Ballymena Livestock RT Market O P EX

Catalogues available online: www.texel.co.uk Sale Leader 26K Seaforde Egyptian Warrior

LE

SA

Knap gimmer tops first Crystal Maze

I

t was a Sportsmans Cannon Ball daughter from Robert Cockburn’s Knap flock which led the way at the Crystal Maze Sale, with a 3500gns call the sale’s leading price.

Knock Crackerjack and out of a dam by the homebred Hilltop Uncle Sam. She was sold carrying to Lakeview Earn Your Keep and was taken by Rian O’Hare, Hilltown, Co Down.

This money was paid for CKP2004716, a gimmer out of a dam by Ettrick Van Gogh and in-lamb to New View Electrifying.

She sold to Johnny Cubitt, Rasharkin, Ballymena.

Close behind at 2500gns was another from the same home, PKH2002418. This Sportsmans Chieftain daughter is out of a Hilltop Uncle Sam daughter and sold with an index in the top 10% of the breed.

She sold in-lamb to Far Hey Exterminator and was knocked down to Martin Millar, Coleraine.

Following her at 3000gns was one from Kenny Pratt’s Hilltop entry, PKH2002441.

She’s by Knock Crackerjack and out of a Garngour Alabama daughter. Sold with an index in the top 10% of the breed, she was offered in-lamb to Cressage Enforcer and found a new home with Patrick and James Murphy, Kilmaine, Co Mayo.

Then making 2900gns was the best of Gordon Gray’s entries, GGH2010156. Sired by the homebred Ettrick Cocky Bob, she is out of a Clinterty Yuga Khan daughter and sold in-lamb to New View Electrifying.

Buying her was Liam McPolin, Mayobridge, Co Down.

A 2600gns call then secured another of the Hilltop pen, PKH2002457. She’s by

The same money was then paid for a Knap Gimmer, CKP2004673, which is

by Sportmans Cannon Ball and out of an Ettrick Van Gogh-sired dam. Buying this one in-lamb to New View Electrifying was Thomas Hogg, Lisbellaw, Enniskillen.

And a final 2500gns call came for an Ettrick gimmer GGH2010161. This Ettrick Cocky Bob daughter is out of an Ellen Valley Warlord daughter and sold in-lamb to New View Electrifying. She headed back across the water to Robin Creighton, Great Leighs, Chelmsford.

The best of the sale from Procters Farm then traded at 2100gns. This was PFD203949 an Usk Vale Cheeky Charlie daughter out of a dam by Teiglum Younggun and in-lamb to Sportsmans Double Diamond. She headed away to Dunshavghin, Co Meath, with Brian and Billy Smyth.

Gordon Gray then took 2000gns for a Brackenridge Commander daughter, GGH2010081. She’s out of a Clinterty Yuga Khan daughter and sold carrying twins to New View Electrifying. This one also headed to Essex to join previous buyer Robin Creighton, Chelmsford.

And Andrew Kennedy then saw his best of the sale make the same money when he sold KMR2001285, a Farmhill Wizz Kid daughter. She’s out of a dam by Tullagh Yogi and sold in-lamb to Alderview Explosive. This one sold to Johnny Cubitt, Ballymena for the Long Mountain flock.

Average; 66 head £1350.68 (Richard Beattie Livestock Sales).

Sportsmans gimmer shines at Derbyshire diamonds

A

n Auldhouseburn Crackpot daughter from Messrs Boden and Davies’ Sportsmans pen was the sale topper at the Derbyshire Diamonds in-lamb sale when making 1950gns.

This gimmer, BGS2004420, is out of a dam by Brackenridge Yonder and sold in-lamb to Castlecairn Doodlebug. She was taken by A P Prince, Little Stretton, Shropshire.

Second best at 1900gns was another from the same home, BGS204436, a Garngour Craftsman daughter out of a dam by Hilltop Predator and with an index in the top 10% of the breed. She was offered in-lamb to Haymount Eye Of The Beholder. Buying this one was Frank Rushton, Matlock, for the Freshfields flock.

58

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Selling at 1550gns was BGS2004566, another Craftsman daughter from Boden and Davies. She’s out of a Fordafourie Amalert daughter and sold carrying to Castlecairn Doodlebug. She was the pick of C Banks, Newcastle Under Lyme.

Then making 1500gns was a ewe lamb from Ben Vernon’s Charben flock, VBC2104426. She’s by Knap Don Diablo and out of a dam by Sportsmans Benchmark, with this one finding a new home with Stephen Cobbald, Sudbury, for the Lavenham flock.

Averages; five aged ewes £453.60, 23 gimmers £681.50, 16 ewe lambs £608.30 (Leek Auctions).

AGRII FORAGE & LIVESTOCK The Agrii Forage and Livestock Team is made up of highly qualified and dedicated advisory staff located throughout the UK. Agrii provides a professional, advice-based service in addition to supplying the following products direct to your farm for your livestock enterprise: Master Leys grass mixtures Livestock vaccines Milk powders Forage and root seeds Parasite control products Forage inoculants Maize seed Trace element drenches and boluses Bale wrap and silage sheet Cereal seed Lick buckets and feed blocks Handling equipment Pulses Worming plans and faecal counts Fencing materials Environmental seeds Compound feeds Livestock sundries

Please get in touch for more information You can email us at info@agrii.co.uk or call: Ben Lowe 07966 533 374 (forage) or Emma Gatehouse 01584 872134 (livestock)

Rue Wood Dora Bred and exhibited by Ben Lowe, Agrii National Forage Product Manager

You can also visit www.agrii.co.uk/forage to download our Guide to Grass and Roots and our Livestock Directory, or use the code:

Charben ewe lamb lights up Friday Night

B

en Vernon’s Charben flock flicked the switch at the Friday Night Lights Sale, Carlisle, when a ewe lamb, VBC2104432, led the trade at 7000gns.

Sired by Teiglum Cinnamon, this Marchborn ET lamb is out of a dam by Fordafourie Amalert and was subject to intense bidding before selling to Rob Evans for the Hope Valley flock, Shropshire.

Second best at 4000gns was another Charben ewe lamb, VBC2104420. Sired by Glenside Drum Major and out of a Garngour Alabama daughter she also joined the Hope Valley flock.

Two then traded at 3000gns, with the first of these being a gimmer from the Arnott family’s Haymount flock. This was AWJ2002165 an Usk Vale Crackerjack daughter out of a dam by Milnbank Awesome. Sold carrying to Rhaeadr Entrepreneur, she was taken by Robert Cockburn for the Knap flock, Perthshire.

At the same money was one from Robert Bennett’s Plasucha flock. This Plasucha All Star daughter, BFE2010087, is out of a dam by Kelso Wiseman and sold in-lamb to Sportsmans Express and was knocked down to Rhys Jones, Llanerfyl, Welshpool.

Top seller at 7000gns was VBC2104432 from Ben Vernon.

Then at 2800gns was another Charben ewe lamb, VBC2104369. She’s by Auldhouseburn Crackpot and out of a dam by Hexel Beast From The East and was bought by S Delaney, Co Roscommon, Eire.

And making 2200gns was the best of the sale from James Wilkinson’s Ballygroogan flock, WVB2000963. This gimmer is by Strathbogie Best Bet and out of a dam by Garngour Vertigo. In-lamb to Alderview Explosive she was the pick of the Illingworth family, Lockerbie.

Three then followed at 1500gns, with the first of these being another Plasucha gimmer in the form of BFE2010082.

She’s by Plasucha Corker and out of an Eden Valley Wiz Kid-sired dam. In-lamb to Sportsmans Express she went home with A E Jones, for the Ynystoddeb flock.

Second at this level was the pen leader from James Theyer’s Clanfield flock, THE2000627. This triplet-born gimmer is by Hope Valley C The Stars and out of a dam

by Tophill Wall St and sold carrying to the 100,000gns Auldhouseburn Expression. Buying her was H L Johnson, Patley Bridge.

Another from the same home made the same money when bought by Graham Morrison for the Deveronvale flock. This was THE2000571 another by C The Stars and out of a dam

by Plasucha All Star. She was also in-lamb to Expression.

60

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Making 4000gns was VBC21004420.

Averages; Charben eight ewe lambs £2395.31, Plasucha three gimmers £2065, Haymount five gimmers £1491, Ballygroogan six gimmers £1365, Clanfield two gimmers £1575, Millars five gimmers £840, Stainton two gimmers £1050, Corskie four gimmers £787.50, Thornbury three gimmers £682.50, Kingspark three gimmers £577.50, Chedworth one ewe lamb £577.50, Ynystoddeb two gimmers £525 (Harrison and Hetherington).

3000gns call tops Kelso Crackers

A

gimmer from the Roxburgh flock of John Elliot led the way at the Kelso Christmas Crackers sale when selling for 3000gns.

Selling for 2200gns was one from the Arnott family’s Haymount flock, AWJ2002114, an Usk Vale Crackerjack daughter out of a dam by Milnbank Awesome and in-lamb to Rhaeadr Entrepreneur. She was bought by Messrs MacLean, Isle of Tiree.

Topping the price list was EJR2004651, a Vorn Yardstick daughter out of a dam

by Midlock Youre The One and in-lamb to the £65,000 Campsie Drambuie. She has an index in the top 5% of the breed and headed to Alford, Aberdeenshire, with Messrs Smith and Son.

The same buyers then paid 2000gns for another from the same pen, AWJ2002168.

She’s again by Crackerjack and is out of a dam by Clinterty Yuga Khan. She was also in-lamb to Rhaeadr Entrepreneur.

Then at 2500gns was Neil Harvey’s best of the sale from the Blackadder flock. This was HNQ202246, a Walston Batman daughter out of a dam by Douganhill Taggart. She sold carrying to Allanfauld Djokovic and was taken by Messrs Cockburn and Partners, West Linton.

At the same money was one from the Mershott flock of the Elliot family. This was BOK2007049, a Haymount Arnott daughter out of a dam by Caereinion Thor and in-lamb to Campsie Drambuie. Buying her were Messrs Bainbridge, Barnard Castle.

And two then made 1800gns, with the first being another from the Haymount pen, AWJ2002054. She’s by Usk Vale Crackerjack and out of a Clinterty Yuga Khan daughter. Sold in-lamb to the homebred Haymount Crackerjack she went home with Messrs Williams, Lampeter.

The other at this money was one from the Mershott pen, BOK2007035, a Canllefaes Bright Spark daughter out of a dam by Cambwell Laird and in-lamb to Campsie Drambuie. She headed to Hexham with Messrs Pickworth.

Averages; 48 gimmers £934.06 (Harrison and Hetherington).

Llandovery Christmas Lights hit 1800gns bright spot

A an 1800gns call.

gimmer from Lowri Jones’ Carn flock led the trade at the South Wales Texel Club Sale, Llandovery, when taking

This gimmer, THX2000136, bred in the Chedworth flock, is by Ynystoddeb Coron Aur and out of a dam by Ettrick Ace of Spades. Sold in-lamb to Sportsmans Einstein, she found a new home with T Jones, Felingwm, Carmarthen.

Second best at 1300gns was the champion from the pre-sale show from the Usk Vale

flock of Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands.

This was a Knock gimmer, HAK2001560, a Sportsmans Chieftain daughter out of a dam by Sportsmans Trojan II and in-lamb to Morwood Eurostar. She was bought by Ben Lowe for the Rue Wood flock, Shrewsbury.

Then making 1150gns was one from the Blaencar flock of the Morgan family, Sennybridge. This gimmer, bred in the Beacons Park flock, EFM207753, is by Knock Yardsman and out of a dam by Sportsmans Tremendous II and sold carrying to Brijon Blitz. Taking this one home was T W G Davies, New Cross, Ceredigion.

Selling at 900gns was another from Usk Vale, UVP2004169. This Hope Valley C The Stars daughter is out of a dam by Hexel Born To Be Wild and sold in-lamb to Cressage Enforcer. Buying her was Chris Davies, Brecon.

Averages; 43 ewes £535.38, four ewe lambs £315 (Clee Tompkinson and Francis).

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

61

Hexel gimmer sparkles at January Gems

G

uest consignors Donald and Sarah MacPherson and family, BerwickUpon-Tweed, enjoyed the pick of the trade at the January Gems Sale, Ballymena, when taking the top call of 8000gns for their gimmer MZH2000659.

This Procters Chumba Wumba daughter is out of a dam by Castlecairn Vavavoom

64

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

and sold carrying to Coniston Equinox. She headed back across the Irish Sea to join Berwickshire breeder Wesley Waite for his newly established Summerskye flock.

The same vendor-buyer combination was responsible for the next best sale too, when Mr Waite paid 4400gns for MZH2000673, another Chumba Wumba daughter, but this time from a Drumpark Unique mother who is maternal sister to the 9000gns

Hexel’s sale leader, MZH2000659, made 8000gns.

Hexel Blockbuster. She also sold in-lamb to Coniston Equinox.

Leading the way for the Farmhill consignment of Adrian Liggett and Brian Williamson was WBO2000224, an Auldhouseburn Crackpot daughter out of a Drumgooland Advertiser dam. Purchased

by Marcus Johnston, Co Fermanagh, for 3000gns, she sold in-lamb to Midas Elvis, a Hexel Born to Be Wild son.

Second best at 4400gns was MZH2500673 from the MacPherson family.

From the same pen this gimmer’s full sister WBO2000227 came in close behind selling at 2800gns to Mauris Breen, Augher, Co Tyrone. She was also offered in-lamb to Midas Elvis.

Also featuring in the top six leading prices for in-lamb gimmers was C and M Mullan’s Blue Gates Flock with MUC2000721. Out of a Drumgooland Aga Khan-sired dam which sold at last year’s January Gems sale for 8500gns, this gimmer is a Fairywater Columbo daughter and moves South to join Arthur O’Keefe’s flock in Co Cork for 2400gns.

MZH2100746 sold at 4000gns.

Ewe lambs The sale saw breeders go to 4000gns twice for ewe lambs from the Hexel and Corbo Flocks.

From the MacPhersons’ Hexel pen was MZH2100746, a March born Procters Chumba Wumba daughter out of a Garngour Alabama dam purchased for 10,000gns at the Glanllyn Dispersal sale.

For the same money was the Corbo favourite LIG2100626, a Sportsmans Cannon Ball daughter out of a Strathbogie Best Bet dam. Both ewe lambs headed to Berwickshire with previous buyer Wesley Waites.

Also making 4000gns was LIG2100626 from Adrian Liggett.

Heading south to join the Enniscrone flock of Ronan Gallagher was another from the Hexel pen, MZH2100716. Selling for 3100gns she is a Haymount Crackerjack daughter out of a Procters Bobby Dazzler mother.

Continuing with the leading prices was MZH2100774 from the Hexel pen. This Crackerjack daughter is out of a Duncryne Uber Cool dam and is maternal sister to the 8000gns Hexel Born To Be Wild, the 65,000gns Hexel Django and the 14,000gns Diamond Joe and sold for 1900gns to Alan Glendinning, Draperstown, for his Lylehill Flock.

Averages; 48 gimmers £1142, nine ewe lambs £1849 (J A McClelland and Sons).

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

65

Alabama daughter leads Longtown Ladies

A

n 8500gns call was the best of the evening at the Longtown Ladies sale of Texel females, with the Usk Vale flock of Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands once again scoring a number of top prices, including the sale leading bid.

Topping the honour list was HAK2001512, a gimmer bred in the Knock flock and sired

by Garngour Alabama. She is out of an Allanfauld Am The Man daughter and sold carrying to Morwood Eurostar. Buying this one was A E Jones for the Ynystoddeb flock, Carmarthenshire.

Second best at 5500gns was another from the same home and again bred in the Knock flock, HAK2001529. This Sportsmans Chieftain daughter is out of a Tophill Wall St-sired dam and was offered in-lamb to Lakeview Earn Your Keep. A maternal sister to a 20,000gns gimmer she was taken by Carl Henry Bellis, Denbigh.

Robbie Wilson, Milnbank, then took 4800gns for his best of the sale,

LYM2003801, an Ellen Valley Caesar daughter out of a dam by Strathbogie Yes Sir. She sold in-lamb with twins to Harestone Eldorado and was the pick of the Nicholson family, Duns.

Another from Usk Vale then sold at 4500gns, with this being UVP2004162, a Hexel Born To Be Wild daughter out of a dam by Sportsmans A Star and in-lamb to Morwood Eurostar. This maternal sister to the 20,000gns Usk Vale Eddie was knocked down to David Houghton for the Tophill flock, Bury.

Next at the same money was one from Robert Cockburn’s Knap pen, with this being a Sportsmans Cannon Ball daughter out of a dam by Clinterty Yuga Khan. She had stood champion in the pre-sale show and was taken by the judge, James Theyer, Clanfield, in-lamb to New View Electrifying.

Then at 2600gns was one from Alan Blackwood’s Auldhouseburn consignment, BYZ2025915. This Usk Vale Corker daughter is out of a dam by Rhaeadr Best of the Best and sold in-lamb to Seaforde

Empire King. She was offered carrying triplets and found a new home with Carl Bellis.

Close behind at 2500gns was another Knap entry from Robert Cockburn, CKP2004736.

Again by Cannon Ball, she is out of a Yuga Khan daughter and sold in-lamb to New View Electrifying. Buying her was H Smith, Brampton.

And next in line at 2400gns was one from Auldhouseburn, BYZ2025940. She’s again

by Corker and out of a dam by Haymount Windsor. In-lamb to Saltcotes E Class, she was bought by M McAteer, Clauty, Co Derry.

Robbie Wilson then took the same money for LYM2004027, a Knock Yardsman daughter out of a dam by Strathbogie Yes Sir and in-lamb to Teiglum Dancing Brave.

She headed to a new home in Yorkshire with Sam and Sarah Beachell.

Averages; 90 gimmers £1268, 24 ewe lambs £853 (Cumberland and Dumfries Mart).

Plasucha gimmer sparks at Winter Warmers

A

gimmer from Robert Bennett’s Plasucha flock set sparks flying at the Winter Warmers Sale, Melton Mowbray, when she sold for the day’s top price of 2500gns, a new bred centre record.

Sale topper was BFE2010108, an ET-bred daughter of Plasucha All Star out of a dam

by Sportsmans A Star. She sold carrying to Sportmans Express and with an index in the top 25% of the breed. Buying her were the Lockhart family, Melton Constable.

66

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Second best of the day at 2150gns was a ewe lamb from James Theyer’s Clanfield flock, THE2100809. She’s by Sportsmans Ducati and out of an Eden Valley Wizz Kid daughter. She found a new home with R Darlington, Hartington.

A 1000gns call followed that for another gimmer from Plasucha, with this being BFE2010080. She’s the same way bred as the day’s topper, being another Plasucha All Star daughter out of a dam by Sportsmans A Star. Again in-lamb to Sportsmans Express, she was taken by E E Rudd and Sons, Wood Dalling, Norfolk.

Then selling at 650gns was another Plasucha gimmer, BFE2010026. She’s another by All Star and this time out of a dam by Clinterty Yuga Khan. With a top 25% index and in-lamb to Sportsmans Express, she went home with the Pamplin family, Ringstead, Northants.

Averages; 28 gimmers £568.87, two ewes £420, 29 ewe lambs £340.16 (Melton Mowbray Market).

Usk Vale gimmer Stars at Select Seven

A

Hope Valley C The Stars daughter from Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands led the trade at the Select Seven sale, Lanark, when changing hands for 26,000gns. This was UVP2004086 a gimmer out of a Castlecairn Vavavoom daughter bred in the Grougfoot flock. She sold in-lamb to Lakeview Earn Your Keep and headed back to Wales to join Alan and Sarah Powell, Monmouth.

Second best at 12,000gns was the first of the day from Alan Blackwood’s Auldhouseburn flock, BYZ2025864. She’s by the homebred Auldhouseburn Corky and out of an Allanfauld dam by Garngour Yeltsin. She was sold in-lamb to Saltcotes E Class. She found a new home in Oxfordshire with James Theyer’s Clanfield flock.

Then making 11,000gns was the best of the sale from Gordon Gray’s Ettrick pen, GGH2010157. This daughter of the homebred Ettrick Cocky Bob is out of a dam

by Clinterty Yuga Khan and sold carrying to New View Electrifying. This one was the pick of the Teward family for the New View flock, Darlington.

Following her at 10,000gns one from the Clark family’s Garngour pen, CJN2006887.

This Craighead Crusader daughter is out of a dam by Sportsmans Admiral II and sold having been served by Midlock Escobar.

Another to head south, she was bought

by Rob Evans for the Hope Valley flock, Shropshire.

Then making 5200gns was a Craighead gimmer from Jim Cullen, CMC2002502.

She’s by a Strawfrank sire and out of a dam

by Hartside All Star and was offered in-lamb to Crailloch Eyecatcher and heads to Wales to join the Morgan family’s Blaencar flock, Sennybridge.

A 5000gns call came next, with this paid for a Cambwell gimmer from the Laird family. This was LTC2005321, a triplet-born daughter of Charben Cobra and out of a Cambwell Trademark dam. She sold inlamb to Cowal Escobar and sold to Hartside Farms, Lammington.

Close behind at 4800gns was another Auldhouseburn gimmer, BYZ2025828. This Auldhouseburn Crackpot daughter is out of an Ettrick dam by Clinterty Yuga Khan and was another sold in-lamb to Saltcotes E Class. This was another purchased by Rob Evans, Hope Valley.

Another from Ettrick then made 4200gns in the form of GGH2010048. Sired by the homebred Cockney Rebel she is out of a Clinterty You Cracker daughter and sold inlamb to Claybury Dazzler. She sold locally to the MacArthur family, for the Daer flock.

Selling at 3600gns was another from Garngour, CJN2006905. This one is by Procters Chumba Wumba and out of a dam

by Sportsmans Admiral II. She sold carrying to Claybury Dunkirk and was taken by E J Green, Keith.

At the same money was one from Usk Vale, HAK2001492. This one, bred in the Knock flock, is by Sportmans Chieftain and out of a dam by Glenside Razzle Dazzle. She

Usk Vale Select Seven topper

was sold in-lamb to Lakeview Earn Your Keep and went home with Meurig Thomas, Newcastle Emlyn.

A pair then made 3500gns, the first of which was from Andrew Clark’s Teiglum flock in the shape of CFT2000051. Sired by Knock Yardsman she is out of a dam by New View Awesome and sold having been served

by Seaforde Egyptian Warrior. Buying her were the Wight family for the Midlock flock, Biggar.

The other at this money was UVP2004163 from Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands. Sired

by Hexel Born To Be Wild, she is out of a dam by Sportsmans A Star and was offered in-lamb to Morwood Eurostar and was the pick of J Porter, Appleby.

Averages; 71 gimmers £2796.55, six ewe lambs £945 (Lawrie and Symington).

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

67

Usk Vale leads North West in-lamb sale

T

he Usk Vale flock of Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands continued its strong form at in-lamb sales when topping the North West Texel Breeders Club sale at 4000gns.

Leading the way at 4000gns was UVP2004177.

Taking the day’s top call was in-lamb gimmer UVP2004177, a Hexel Born To Be Wild daughter out of a Knock-bred dam by Allanfauld Am The Man. She sold in-lamb to Morwood Eurostar and was knocked down to R C and N A Ellis, for the Eglur flock, Flintshire.

Second best at 2700gns was a ewe lamb from Myfyr Evans’ Rhaeadr consignment, ENM2102493. This one is by Sportsmans Dare Devil and out of a dam by Kelso Pavarotti which is from the same family as the 125,000gns Rhaeadr Best of the Best. Buying her was Sandra Ireton, Carnforth.

Back with the gimmers, the next best at 2500gns was one from the Charlie Boden’s Mellor Vale pen, BCM200845. Sired by Garngour Craftsman and out of a dam by Teiglum Younggun, this one has an index in the top 25% of the breed and sold carrying to Haymount Eye of the Beholder and was bought by R and E Ladds, Scalthwaitrigg.

Second best was Myfyr Evans ewe lamb at 2700gns.

The Usk Vale pen then saw another at 2000gns, with this being UVP2004206. This Hope Valley C The Stars daughter is out of a dam by Hexel Born To Be Wild and sold in-lamb to Lakeview Earn Your Keep. She found a new home with R E Wood and Son for the Kingledores flock.

A pair of gimmers then made 1800gns, with the first of these being the pre-sale champion from Procters Farm. This was PFD2003908, an Usk Vale Cheeky Charlie daughter out of a dam by Teiglum Younggun and in-lamb to Bradleys Eubank. She sold carrying twins to Matt Prince, Derbyshire.

Second at this money was Peter Woof’s best of the day from the Stainton flock, WPS2001583. Sired by Auldhouseburn Bolt, she is out of a dam by Knock Yankee and sold in-lamb with twins to Hilltop Escobar. Buying her were W Holden and Sons for the Bold Ventrue flock.

At the same money was the reserve champion from the pre-sale show, James Theyer’s ewe lamb from the Clanfield flock, THE2100799. She’s

by Hope Valley C The Stars and out of a Hexel-bred dam by Plasucha All Star. Sold with an index in the top 5% of the breed she headed home with Richard Wilson for the Eden Valley flock.

Then at 1700gns was another gimmer from the Usk Vale pen, UVP2004161. This one is by Hexel Born To Be Wild and is out of a Grougfoot-bred dam by Castlecairn Vavavoom. She sold having been sired by Cressage Enforcer and went to join James Porter at Appleby In Westmorland.

Averages; 68 gimmers 816.22, 15 ewe lambs £621.60, eight ewes £401.63 (North West Auctions).

68

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Selling at 1800gns was reserve champion THE2100799 from James Theyer.

Pre-sale champion PFD2003908 also made 1800gns.

J36 Rural Auction Centre Crooklands, Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7FP

t: 015395 66200 / w. nwauc�ons.co.uk / Ian Atkinson m. 07766 521472

26th May 2022 Pedigree Sheep Day Sale of Ewes & Lambs, Recipient Ewes & Lambs, Also Empty Gimmer Hoggs Entries Close Monday 9th May

--------------

14th August 2022 North West Texel Breeders Club Annual Show & Sale of 300 Individual Pedigree Texel Rams & Females ------------7th January 2023 North West Texel Breeders Club Annual Show & Sale of Pedigree In-Lamb Females & Empty Gimmer Hoggs Untitled-1 1

10/03/2022 14:05:56

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

69

Wilodge females hit 5000gns twice

T

he sale of the female portion of the Wilodge flock for Paul Tippetts and Christine Williams saw two sales at 5000gns, with another at 4500gns.

Selling at 4500gns was a gimmer, TIP2003003, another by Big Style and out of a dam by Eglur Yukon. She was again offered in-lamb to De Boer and found a new home with J Pritchard, Rochester, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

First at the top call was a gimmer by Whitehart Big Style, TIP2003037. This one is out of the 16,000gns Beautry ewe by Loosebeare Voldemort and sold carrying to Blackadder De Boer. She sold carrying a single and was taken in a two-way split by Robert Laird, Cambwell and Neil Edmondson, Castle Bank.

At the same money was a Midlock Cobrasired gimmer, TIP2003022. This one is out of a dam by Deveronvale Ace of Diamonds and was again offered in-lamb to De Boer.

She headed home with T Vaughan and E Davies, Hengoed.

The other at 5000gns was another of the gimmers TIP2003043. Again by Big Style, she is out of another Voldemort-sired Beautry ewe and again sold in-lamb to De Boer. Buying this one was Declan Harrison, Wigton.

Then making 3500gns was another by Cobra and out of the 16,000gns Beautry ewe. This gimmer was offered empty and with an embryo pregnancy and sold to Steve and Helen Smith, Welshpool, for the Penparc flock.

Next best was a brace at 2200gns, with the first being yet another Big Style-sired

gimmer, TIP2002991. She’s out of a dam

by Eglur Yukon and sold in-lamb to De Boer and was bought by J Pritchard, who had earlier bought her full ET sister for 4500gns.

The other at this money was a ewe lamb, TIP2103378. This Teiglum Crackerjack daughter is out of a ewe by Y. Braveheart.

She sold to Willie and Carol Ingram, Logie Durno.

And the same buyers then paid 1800gns for a Beautry ewe, CUB1501158, which had originally been purchased for 4800gns in 2015. This one is by Loosebeare Voldemort and out of a dam by Beautry Panama.

Averages; five flush ewes £2751, eight flock ewes £1286.25, nine shearling gimmers £2776.67, 20 ewe lambs £826.88, 29 pregnancies £853.40 (Harrison and Hetherington).

Knap gimmer leads Solway and Tyne Sale

R

obert Cockburn’s Knap flock led the trade at the Solway and Tyne Texel Club’s sale, Carlisle, when taking a 2200gns bid.

Sale leader was CKP2004734, a Knock Banker daughter out of a dam by Clinterty Yuga Khan and sold in-lamb to Sportsmans Cannon Ball. She sold to Messrs Fear, Bristol.

The same buyers then paid 1800gns for the next in the ring from the same home, CKP2004752. This Rhaeadr

70

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Crusader daughter had stood second in the pre-sale show and is out of a dam by Mullan Amigo. She was offered carrying to New View Electrifying.

Then at 1400gns was another of the Knap pen, CKP2004682. This Auldhouseburn Billy The Kid daughter is out of a Knap Alligator daughter and sold in-lamb to Sportsmans Cannon Ball. Buying her was Esmor Evans, Mold, for the Maerdy flock.

Following her at 1200gns was the best from Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock, LYM2003862. Sired by Kingspark Bentley, she is out of a dam by Greenstar Alfie and

sold in-lamb to Harestone Eldorado. She was bought by Messrs Sugden, Thornhill, Dumfries.

The same buyers then paid 1000gns for the first in from Milnbank, LYM2003934. She’s

by Knock Yardsman and out of a dam by Aman Vyrnwy. This one was also in-lamb to Harestone Eldorado.

Averages; 32 gimmers £771.09, 10 ewe lambs £393.75, two recipients carrying embryos £525 (Harrison and Hetherington).

PREMIUM SHEEP & GOAT HEALTH SCHEMES

Premium Sheep & Goat Health Schemes

Safeguarding the Health of Your Stock!

• Accreditation for MV, CAE, Johne’s Disease and EAE Buying Rams or Breeding Replacements?

• Protect your flock and select Accredited animals Other Disease Testing • Test for Border Disease & CLA Scrapie Monitoring & Genotyping • Private confidential genotyping service • Join the Scrapie Monitoring Scheme to export New PSGHS Monitoring Scheme for MV and Johne’s Disease now available

Scan to visit our members database

SRUC Veterinary Services Greycrook, St Boswells, Roxburghshire, TD6 0EQ / T: 01835 822456 E: PSGHS@sruc.ac.uk / www.sheepandgoathealth.co.uk fb.com/SRUCVets

SRUC is a charity registered in Scotland: SC003712

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

71

Brace of 2500gns bids lead Christmas Classic

A

brace of 2500gns bids were the highlights of the Aberdeen Christmas Classic Texel female sale.

First to make this money was a gimmer from the Innes family’s Strathbogie flock, IJS2004761. She’s by Deveronvale Aftershock and out of a dam by Glenside Wild Boy. Carrying to Cressage Enforcer she sold to Wilson Peters, Crieff.

Second at this price was the best of the sale from Stuart Barclay’s Harestone flock, BSA2001882. Sired by Midlock Bright Spark she is out of an Ettrick dam by Shannagh Won-O-Won and sold in-lamb

to Mellor Vale Déjà vu. She was knocked down to Craig Reid, Altyre.

Next best at 2400gns was a ewe lamb from Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank consignment, LYM2104233. She’s by Teiglum Dancing Brave and out of a dam by Strathbogie Yes Sir. Buying her was Duncan MacNiven, Glenfarg.

Close behind at 2200gns was a Deveronvale gimmer from Graham Morrison. This was MGV2001582, a Carran Crackerjack daughter out of a dam by Strathbogie Terminator and sold in-lamb to Cressage Enforcer. She was the pick of K and M Parker, Scorton.

Then making 1300gns was a Haddo gimmer from the Knox family, KWJ2002094.

Sired by Clinterty Yuga Khan, she is out of a dam by Garngour Vintage and sold inlamb to Harestone Eldorado. This one was bought by S and A Hall, Ellon.

Robbie Wilson then sold a pair at 1200gns, with the first bought by W and D Moir, Fraserburgh and the second by Helen Hunter, Huntly.

Average; 90 gimmers £790.06 (Aberdeen and Northern Marts).

All Star daughter shines at Welshpool

A for 1950gns.

gimmer by Plasucha All Star led prices at the Shropshire and Borders Texel Club in-lamb Sale, Welshpool, when selling

This was BFE2010069 from Robert Bennett and out of a dam by Kelso Wiseman. She sold in-lamb to Sportsmans Express and was taken by Red House Farm, Newtown.

Second best at 1650gns was one from the Draper family’s Claybury flock, DHL2001634, a Strathbogie Cannonball daughter out of a dam by Scholars Yahoo.

Sold carrying to Mellor Vale Dakota, she was knocked down to Chris Ball, Llantilo Crosenny, Monmouthshire.

Robert Pierce’s Oldford flock then took 1300gns for the first gimmer in the ring,

72

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

PRE2001259. This Sportsmans A Star daughter is out of a dam by Gyrhos Andy and sold in-lamb to the homebred Oldford Eisenhower. She found a new home with M Coles, Pear Tree House, Defford.

A brace from Daniel Jones’ Aldan flock then followed close behind, with the first at 1250gns. Taking this price was JDY2000986, a Donrho Aristocrac daughter out of a dam by Sportsmans Trojan II. She was offered in-lamb to Ettrick Evolution and was the pick of previous buyer Red House Farm.

Then at 1200gns from the same home was JDY2000950, a Tamnamoney Bullseye daughter out of a dam by Castlecairn Vavavoom. She was also in-lamb to Ettrick Evolution and went home with W R B Jones, Kerry.

The Draper family were back in action at 1000gns, taking this money for DHL2001691. This Claybury Crusader daughter is out of a Stainton Vantage II daughter and sold to S A and R P Jones, Tal Y Cafn, carrying to Rhaeadr Explosion.

At the same money was another from Robert Pierce, PRE2001261. This Sportsmans A Star daughter is out of a dam by Knock Yankee and was another offered in-lamb to the homebred Oldford Eisenhower. Buying this one was H W Jones, LLansannan, Denbighshire.

Averages; one aged ewe £577.50, 67 gimmers £647.87, 15 ewe lambs £381.50 (Welshpool Livestock Sales).

Two 16,000gns lead Northern Stars sale

T

he Northern Stars Sale, Ballymena, drew a flurry of high figure sales, peaking at 16,000gns twice for gimmers from the Sportsmans and Auldhouseburn flocks.

First at the top money was the Sportsmans gimmer from the Boden family, Cheshire.

This one, their second of the day, BGS2004487, a Garngour Craftsman daughter out of a dam by Clinterty Yogi Bear and in-lamb to Haymount Eye of the Beholder.

She heads to her new home in Claudy, joining Sean McCloskey’s Glenroe Flock.

Second to hit 16,000gns was Alan Blackwood’s Auldhouseburn favourite, BYZ2025905, an Usk Vale Corker daughter out of the Rhaeadr Best of the Best dam which sold for 32,000gns at the Select Seven sale. This gimmer sold in lamb with twins to the 100,000gns Auldhouseburn Expression and found a new home with S and J McCollam’s Carmavy flock, Crumlin.

Richard Henderson’s Ballynahone pen achieved the second brace of the day taking 8000gns twice in a row in his second run. Both are Procters Cocktail daughters out of Scotsman Avicii dams and from the same family bloodline as the 19,000gns gimmer sold at the Northern Stars in 2017.

The first was HBR2001329 which sold to

Alan Blackwood for his Auldhouseburn Flock and was offered in-lamb to Garngour Emerald.

the Sportsman’s Chieftain daughter BYZ2025928. She is out of the 15,000gns Knock gimmer purchased at the Select Seven sale 2019 and sold in lamb with Salcotes E Class twins to William Ridge, Shropshire.

Second at 8000gns from Ballynahone was HBR2001284 which went home to Jonny Cubitt’s Long Mountain Flock. She sold in-lamb to Rhaeadr Edge, a son of the 48,000gns Sportsmans Dare Devil.

Roger Strawbridge’s Tamnamoney pen featured at the same money when taking 5000gns for one of his favourites, SRY2002046. She is a daughter of Tamnamoney Casanova with her Scotsman Avicii-sired mother a maternal sister to the 10,000gns Bushtown and 9000gns Young Willie McBride. She was offered scanned in lamb for twins to Garngour Emerald and sold to Dennis Taylor, Coleraine, as part of his foundation flock.

Continuing to feature in the leading prices was the Boden family’s Sportsmans pen.

Their next best was a 7000gns bid for BGS2004447 a Garngour Craftsman daughter. Again in lamb to Eye Of The Beholder she also joins Sean McCloskey’s Glenroe flock.

Next to take home some of the Sportsmans bloodlines was Martin Warnock when buying BGS2004497. This Fordafourie Amalert daughter out of a dam by the 130,000gns Sportsmans A Star changed hands for 6000gns and sold in lamb to Eye of The Beholder.

The Boden family then took 5000gns for BGS2004424, another Craftsman daughter out of a Teiglum Younggun dam and comes in lamb to joint purchase 7000gns Seaforde Empire King. She sold south to Donegal to join Rodney McLoughlin’s flock in Clonmany.

Also making the same money was another from the Auldhouseburn pen,

Also coming in at 4200gns from the Tamnamoney pen was one of Mr Strawbridge’s Procters Cocktail daughters out of a Scotsman Ace dam. She sold to Procters Farm, Lancashire, and is in lamb to Emerald with triplets.

(L) First at 16,000gns was BGS2004487.

(R) Also hitting 16,000gns was BYZ2025905.

Averages; Sportsmans 11 gimmers £4692, Auldhouseburn seven gimmers £4449, Ballynahone 19 gimmers £2045, Forkins and Cherryvale 14 gimmers £1399, Tamnamoney 19 gimmers £1163, Largy five gimmers £1102 (Ballymena Livestock Mart).

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

73

Mellor Vale gimmer shoots for the Stars

A

38,000gns top call, another at 30,000gns and an average of more than £12,900 for 10 sold saw the Boden family’s Mellor Vale and Sportsmans flocks end the year in style at the Christmas Stars Sale, Carlisle, Topping the list and recording the highest Texel female price of the year at 38,000gns was BCM2000835, a daughter of the 65,000gns Lanark champion Garngour Craftsman out of a dam by Garngour Alabama and from the same family as the 40,000gns Mellor Vale Déjà vu. She sold with an index in the top 10% of the breed and in-lamb to Haymount Eye of the Beholder and was taken in a two way split

by Gary Beacom, Northern Ireland and Stuart Craft, Fife.

Next up at 30,000gns was another Craftsman daughter, BGS2004478 from the Sportsmans flock. This one is out of a dam

by Teiglum Younggun and sold carrying to Seaforde Empire King. Again shared in a two way split she sold to Willy Davis and Paul Rowlands of Usk Vale Texels, Powys,

74

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

and Alan and Sarah Powell of Monnow Hill Texels, Herefordshire.

Following her at 16,000gns was the best of the evening from Robert Cockburn’s Knap flock, with this being CKP2004717, a daughter of Sportsmans Cannon Ball out of a dam by Ettrick Van Gogh and in-lamb to New View Electrifying. She found a new home with the Boden family, reinvesting some of their earnings from the evening.

The Bodens then took 12,000gns for their next, BGS2004367. Again by Craftsman, she is out of another Younggun-sired dam and was offered in-lamb to Empire King, Buying her was Kedzlie Farms, Galashiels.

Close behind at 10,000gns was BGS2004543, again from the Sportsmans flock. She’s by Craftsman and out of a Strathbogie Ali daughter bought at the Hull House dispersal. In-lamb to Haymount Eye of the Beholder, she was knocked down in a shared deal to Messrs MacGregor for the Allanfauld flock, Kilsyth and Stuart Barclay for the Harestone flock, Aberdeenshire.

Mellor Vale’s BCM2000835 led the way at 38,000gns.

A trio then traded at 7000gns, with the first two of these again coming from the Boden family’s consignment. First to hit this mark was Mellor Vale gimmer BCM2000864, another by Craftsman and out of a Younggun daughter. This gimmer with an in demand combination of genetics sold carrying to Eye of the Beholder and was the pick of Paul Castle, Cambridgeshire.

Second at this money was BGS2004392.

She’s again by Craftsman and is out of a dam by Garngour Alabama and sold with an index in the top 10% of the breed. Again offered in-lamb to Eye of the Beholder, she found a new home with a brace of Northern Irish flocks; Adrian Liggett’s Corbo flock and James Wilkinson’s Ballygroogan flock.

The third and final 7000gns call came for another Knap gimmer from Robert Cockburn. This was CKP2004674. She is a full ET sister to Robert’s earlier 16,000gns gimmer and sold in-lamb to New View Electrifying and was taken by Nick Legge, Leominster.

Then at 6000gns was BCM2000811 from the Mellor Vale flock of the Bodens. Sired

by Craftsman and out of a dam by the 145,000gns Knap Vicious Sid she sold in-lamb to Eye of the Beholder and was bought by previous buyer Paul Castle.

Making 5200gns was the lead entry from Thomas Muirhead’s Orchilmore flock, MZU2003792, a Rhaeadr Best of the Best daughter out of a dam by Milnbank Wingman. Sold in-lamb to Sportsmans Deal Breaker she sold to Robert Cockburn.

Two then came in close to that at 5000gns.

The first being another from the Boden family, BCM2000807. Yet again by Craftsman and out of a Vicious Sid-sired dam, she was again in-lamb to Seaforde Empire King and with an index in the top 10% of the breed. She headed home to Whitchurch, Shropshire, with R S T and S A Morgan.

The other at this level was the best of the sale from the Campbell family’s Cowal

flock. This was CKC2012415, a Rue Wood Cherokee daughter out of a dam by Rhaeadr Best of the Best and in-lamb to Sportsmans Express. Buying this one were A M and L Sutherland, Thurso.

Second best at 30,000gns was BGS2004478.

Averages; 75 gimmers £3662.04 (Harrison and Hetherington).

Rhaeadr ewe lamb leads Crackers

M

yfyr Evans’ Rhaeadr flock led the trade at the Lanark Crackers sale when selling a ewe lamb at 6000gns. Sale leader ENM2102478 is a Sportsmans Dare Devil daughter out of a dam by Garngour Alabama which is ET sister to a lamb sold at the Lanark Crackers for 7500gns in 2019. Buying her was Stewart Craft, Glenrothes, Fife.

Second best at 5000gns was a Cairnam gimmer from Cameron Gauld. This was GCF2004014, a Straidarran Casino daughter out of a dam by Garngour Alladin and sold carrying to Procters Extra Special.

She found a new home with Gillian Adams, Banchory.

Then came a brace at 4200gns, with the first of these being a Harestone gimmer from Stuart Barclay, BSA2001897. Sired

by Rhaeadr Ace, she is out of a Teiglumbred dam by New View Awesome and sold in-lamb to Procters El Presidente. This one was taken by Procters Farm, Lancashire.

Second at this level was a ewe lamb from Donald and Sarah MacPherson’s Hexel consignment. This lamb, MZH2100711, is

by Procters Chumba Wumba and out of a dam by Castlecairn Vavovoom and sold to D Webster, Lower Reiss, Wick.

Another from the same home then made 3500gns, with this one being another ewe lamb, this time by Haymount Crackerjack.

MZH2100711 is out of a dam by Procters Bobby Dazzler. She sold to Fife to join Callum Craft, Glenrothes.

Following her at 3000gns were three sales, with this first bid at this price coming for one from Kerr Jarvie’s Duncryne pen, JRV2004575. She’s by Milnbank Brooklyn and out of a Knap You’re The Man daughter.

She sold in-lamb to Procters Extra Special and was knocked down to Hartside Farms, Lammington.

Second to make 3000gns was the very next lot from the same consignment, JRV2004544. This time by Knock Bantastic, she is out of a Milnbank Van Wilder

daughter and sold carrying to Rhaeadr Equilizer. She headed north to join J K Hunter, Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

And the final 3000gns call was made for for the first in the ring from Michael Leggat, Foreman Hill. This was LMA200067, a Strathbogie Bachelor II daughter out of a dam by Aman Vyrnwy and in-lamb to Milnbank Dance Monkey. Buying her was E J Green, Keith.

Selling at 2800gns was the best of the day from the MacGregor family’s Allanfauld pen, XMM2019382. She’s by Knockem Concorde and is out of a dam by Knap You’re The Man and sold having been served by Claybury Dunkirk. Taking her home was Martin McAteer, Claudy, Co Derry.

Averages; 45 gimmers £1284.50, 10 ewe lambs £2394 (Lawrie and Symington).

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

75

Bellefield double top at Northern Diamonds

S

tewart Ferris’ Bellefield flock led the trade at the Northern Diamonds in-lamb sale, taking the top two calls of 3000gns and 2400gns.

Top call was paid for AFB2000684, a Harsetone Crackerjack daughter out of a dam by Knap Yard Master and in-lamb to Corbo Eye Devil. She found a new home across the water in Staffordshire with Ben Vernon’s Charben flock.

Following her at 2400gns was a ewe from the same home, AFB2100757. Again sired by Crackerjack, she is out of a Teiglum Bachelor daughter and sold to join Philip Dodds’ Tullybrannigan flock, Co Down.

Next in line at 1900gns was one from the Maineview entry of Andrew Kennedy. This was KMR2001277, a Fairywater Columbo daughter out of a dam by Duncryne Uber Cool and in-lamb to Alderview Explosive.

She was the pick of Leonard Linton, Armoy, Co Antrim.

Then making 1650gns was Alistair Breen’s best from the Drumderg pen, BQU2000508.

This daughter of Teiglum Braveheart is out of a dam by Cornerstone Tin Tin and sold to Neil McIlwaine’s Corrick flock, Newtonstewart, in-lamb to Mullan Eureka.

sold in-lamb to Corbo Eye Devil. Buying her was Cecil McCracken, Dromore.

Average; 47 head £900.76 (Richard Beattie Livestock Sales).

The Drumderg flock then took 1500gns for a Plasucha Champion daughter in the form of BQU2000497. She’s out of a dam by Garngour Aristotle and sold carrying twins to Sportsmans Batman. Buying her was Andrew Cox, Pettigo.

Close behind at 1450gns was one from Mark Patterson, Alderview. This was PTT2000633, a daughter of the homebred Balmoral champion Alderview Barrister and out of a dam by Baltier Thunderbird. She was knocked down to David Hutchinson, Conckera, Co Fermanagh.

Stewart Ferris then sold another of his at 1400gns, with this being AFB2000660.

Another by Harestone Crackerjack, she is out of a dam by Hull House Undercover and

Top call was 3000gns for AFB200684 from Stewart Ferris.

Crossbow daughter hits the target at Worcester

A

Millhouse Crossbow daughter from James Theyer’s Clanfield flock was the top performer at the Gloucester and Border Counties Texel Club sale at Worcester.

This one, THE2000561 is out of a Plasucha-bred dam by Mullan Awesome and sold at 2200gns carrying to Teiglum Dynamite and with an index in the top 25% of the breed. Buying her was Paul James, Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

Second best at 1800gns was one from well travelled vendors Robin and Caroline Orr, Fife. Their pen topper ONH2000894 is by Peacehay Ya Belter and out of a dam by Clinterty Yuga Khan and sold having been

76

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

served by Claddagh Dynamite. She headed back to Scotland to West Mains Farm, Gleneagles.

Then at 1400gns was the best of the ewe lambs, with this one also coming from Clanfield in the form of THE2100799. She’s

by Hope Valley C The Stars and is out of a Hexel-bred dam by Plasucha All Star. Sold with an index in the top 5% of the breed she also found a home in Bridgnorth with the James family.

Three then traded at 1200gns with the first of these being another Halbeath gimmer from the Orrs. This was ONH2000868, a Castlecairn CIA daughter out of a dam

by Peacehay Ya Belter. Again in-lamb to Claddagh Dynamite she also headed back north of the border to West Mains Farm.

Second at this money was a gimmer from Jeremy Theyer’s Chedworth flock, THX2000135. Sired by Plasucha Corker, she is out of a dam by Fordafourie Young Star and sold carrying to Clanfield Elite and was knocked down to Powell Partners, Vowchurch.

And the final 1200gns call came for another Clanfield ewe lamb from James Theyer, THE2100870. She’s by Sportsmans Ducati and out of a Tophill Wall St daughter. This one was the pick of V J and M L Roots, Southam Warwickshire.

Averages; 54 gimmers £668.88, nine ewe lambs £631.20 (McCartneys).

Save the Date 23rd April 2022 Pedigree Female Sale (inc. ewes with lambs at foot), Worcester 14th May 2022 Progeny Show, Clanfield 12th August 2022 Club Sale, Cirencester 10th September 2022 Hop & Cheese, Worcester 3rd December 2022 Club In-Lamb Sale, Worcester

2021 Flock Competition Results A big thank you to all club members who entered our 2021 flock competition. The results can be found at the link below. https://tinyurl.com/2n93c2nu

Join us today We are always welcoming new members at the Gloucester & Border Counties Texel Club.

Contact us today to find out more information about becoming a member.

Jeremy Theyer | Chairman jetheyer@icloud.com

Luke Davis | Secretary glostexel@gmail.com

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook

‘Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.’

That’s how the saying goes and it is certainly a mantra which epitomises the spirit in which Willy Davis of the Usk Vale flock has lived his Texel life so far.

78

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

H

aving started in Texels with a handful of ewes purchased for him by his father, the Usk Vale flock now numbers some 40 pedigree ewes and has in the last year become a partnership between Willy and Builth Wells-based entrepreneur Paul Rowlands.

“In the early days I was running the flock alongside my full-time work in the family poultry business. However, at the beginning of 2018 I committed all my time and energy to the sheep and have had to make it pay since then.

“Without a doubt that was a turning point for the flock, it put my focus entirely on producing the best I could. That next year, 2019, we sold five sons of Hexel Born To Be Wild to gross more than £100,000 and things have kept progressing from there,” explains Willy.

The next major step for the flock was the formation of the partnership between Willy and Paul, with this happening during 2021.

“Paul had originally been involved with Texels back in the early 1980s, having established a small flock to produce rams for use in the family’s commercial flock.”

As Paul himself explains the breed was first used as a commercial sire with the quality of the crossbred progeny impressing greatly. “We first bought Texel rams in 1979 and then started a flock with imported ewes in order to breed our own tups. The flock was later sold as we went out of sheep, but I’d always had a hankering to get back involved with Texels and am excited to be working with Willy to progress the Usk Vale flock.”

The partnership came together in early 2021 and later in the year they purchased the Knock flock in its entirety from George Howie, amalgamating them in to the Usk Vale flock which is now based at Paul’s farm just outside Builth Wells.

Going solo back in 2018 wasn’t easy, admits Willy. “But it was something I felt I had to do, I wanted something that I could call my own and to stand or fall on my own merit. I’m grateful for all the support my family and my girlfriend, Sophia, have given me and they’ve always backed me in everything I’ve done.”

Early 2019 and through 2020 saw Willy renting various blocks of ground around the Usk area, but the diesel and time spent travelling between pieces of rented ground was putting pressure on the business, he explains.

“It wasn’t a makeor-break situation, but it was certainly not ideal and the opportunity to move the flock to a ringfenced farm came at just the right time.”

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

79

Explaining the decision to purchase the Knock flock Willy says it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. “I’ve always been impressed with the Knock females and one of the best breeding ewes we have is a Knock Yardsman sister we purchased as a gimmer in 2019. She has already bred males and females to 5000gns and the chance to tap into those genetics more widely was something I didn’t feel could be turned down.

“The Knock Yardsman family is, in my opinion, one of the best families in the breed and George had always been clear about the breeding policy at Knock. He kept a relatively small, elite flock and made sure it stayed at the top of the breed by capitalising on his best female lines.”

And that same philosophy is something Willy and Paul fully intend to extoll at Usk

80

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

Vale, developing leading families to breed high quality Texels to suit the market.

“Alongside the Knock females we’ve got a strong family based on a Grougfoot ewe which was bought at Lanark in 2016. She has bred the 17,000gns Usk Vale Albatross as well as the 13,000gns Crackerjack, the 26,000gns gimmer Lady Delilah and is also the granddam of the 36,000gns Cheeky Charlie and the 13,000gns Captain Billy.

Her current crop of ewe hoggs look really strong and should make some excellent gimmers this summer.

“Another strong foundation was a 2018born Glenside ewe by Sportsmans A Star.

She is dam of the 20,000gns Usk Vale Eddie sold at Lanark last year as well as breeding gimmers at 4500gns, 3800gns and 3500gns.”

To maximise the opportunities these females offer, the partnership is flushing in the region of 30 females a year. “Flushing is a great tool as it allows the hardest possible selection pressure to be applied to a lamb crop. The more lambs you have from a family the harder you can be on them to ensure only the best are retained.

Just one of the Knock females added following the purchase of the flock in 2020.

UVP-1903624

“There is no question that applying a high level of selection pressure is the only way to make rapid and consistent progress and ET helps do that more quickly.”

With a strong female base it is vitally important to apply the same strict criteria to rams introduced to the flock, says Willy. “Over the last few years a handful

Top seller for the flock to date is the 36,000gns Usk Vale Cheeky Charlie.

of tups have had a real impact on the flock, including Hexel Born To Be Wild, Hope Valley C The Stars and Haymount Divine King.

“But Strathbogie Ya Belter, a tup shared with Procters Farm, was responsible for putting the flock on the right path initially. He left tremendously strong, balanced females which have gone on to breed,” he adds.

For the 2022 lamb crop the main service sires are the 38,000gns Lanark purchase Cressage Enforcer, the 18,000gns Lakeview Earn Your Keep and the 11,000gns Knock Eagle Eye. “All of these are exciting tups from great female families and should leave some cracking lambs this year.”

The aim for the Usk Vale flock has always been to breed the best possible and compete at the highest level, but to date that hasn’t meant venturing into the show ring, something Willy says is likely to change in 2022. “I’m always conscious of only doing something when I think it is the right time to do so. In the case of showing I’ve always held back from the major shows until I felt the sheep were good enough.

“The likelihood is that this year we will do some showing as I feel we have the sheep that can compete. Perhaps we could have done it before, but I’ll only do something when it’s the right time,” he adds.

And in the spirit of making the best of every opportunity the flock is now also moving into shearling ram production, with the aim of targeting the larger commercial sales. “The

Part of that summer season will see the flock play host to the Society’s YDP Five Nations weekend in July. “This should be a great event for the younger members and I’m happy to be able to host part of what promises to be an excellent weekend.”

demand for quality shearling rams is strong in the south and with an extensive flushing programme we have the numbers available to produce a decent crop of tups each year now.

“We haven’t decided exactly which sale we’ll target yet, but both Kelso and the Main NSA Sale are potentials. It will depend on how the tups come through the spring and what the rest of the season holds,” he explains.

Building strength in the flock through embryo transfer has enabled rapid genetic progress.

Reflecting on the flock’s progress to date Willy says the last two years have seen the flock really flourish, with the most recent round of in-lamb sales resulting in gimmers selling to 26,000gns at the Select Seven Sale, with many others making headlines too.

“This was easily our best performance to date with gimmers and it is the result of building the strength in depth in the flock over recent years.

With the building blocks in place we’ve been able to offer better quality year on year and that has shown in the trade we’ve achieved,” he adds.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

81

Focus delivers commanding results at Hornacott Cornish breeders Phil and Lesley Martyn-Uglow have become a force to be reckoned with in south west Texel circles in recent years.

H

aving, in his own words ‘bumbled along with a small flock of Texels for several years before focussing on them properly’ Phil Martyn-Uglow has certainly made his mark since he put more time into them seven years ago.

“We started the flock with about 25 ewes bought from the Loosebeare and Sidborough flocks, but at the time we started we were running a catering business and doing up to 60 weddings and events a year,” explains Phil who farms with his wife Lesley and with the help of his daughters, Bella and Sybil, aged eight and six, respectively.

“There simply wasn’t enough time to put the effort in to the flock that it really needed, so we just ticked along without making huge progress. That changed when we started to wind down the catering business as a result of starting a family.

Time and effort is paying off for Phil and Lesley Martyn-Uglow and daughters Bella (l) and Sybil (r).

84

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

“We were able to commit more time to the Texels and the impact has been seen in the level the flock has got to in the last few years. We’ve grown the flock in both numbers and quality in the last five or six years, with ewe numbers now at about 160 and tup sales increasing year on year.”

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

85

Phil says while the development of the flock may have been slower than some would choose, it has ensured consistency in the ewes and enabled ram sales to grow to meet customer demand. “There are different ways to build a flock and none is right or wrong, but the way we’ve done it has meant we have a flock rather than a collection of ewes and that gives me a huge amount of satisfaction when I see the ewes in the field,” he explains.

Backing up this approach and seconding Phil’s pride in the flock was the family’s success in the South West Texel Club flock competition last year when they took first in the large flock class and reserve champion overall flock.

Today the flock is entirely based on those early female purchases, with rams sourced from flocks with similar outlooks to continue building quality. “The tups which really made an impact for us were a brace from Nicky and Jim Hartwright’s Whitehart flock, Whitehart Unleashed and Whitehart Strongbow.

“Both of them put size and power into our females which then in turn meant we were able to produce stronger shearling tups which have seen us start to climb up the ranks at both local and national sales.”

He cites Beautry Achilles as another hugely influential flock-building tup, with this one being a full brother to the 16,000gns Beautry gimmer sold at the English National Sale in 2016. “Achilles has left some great females with backend and loin which are easily fleshed and milk well too.”

And while some may prefer to use technologies such as AI and ET to expand a flock Phil has chosen to take a more traditional route, while still spreading a tup’s influence as far as possible. “We serve all the ewes naturally and tend to put tups out at about 1:60, ensuring the greatest possible chance for a ram to put his stamp on the flock.

86

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

“Achilles did this for us, working across large numbers of ewes and leaving plenty of lambs each year which has meant a significant number of his daughters are now in the flock and influencing its future direction,” he explains.

“Now we’re working with a pair of Loosebeare tups, Denton and Destroyer, as well as using a couple of homebred ram lambs, one of which, Hornacott Emperor, is a full brother to Hornacott Commander a ram sold for 3500gns to Phil Weaver’s Empire flock at the English National Sale in 2020.

“Their dam is a 2016-born ewe by a homebred tup which has bred consistently well, producing some of our best lambs every year and always milking well too,” he adds.

And, as the flock has grown so too has the number of shearling tups sold each year, with 50-60 ram hoggs destined to make shearlings this year and an ambition to increase that to 80-90 next year.

“We’re seeing growing demand for our shearlings both locally and further afield and have sold a number into local pedigree flocks over the last few years. We

Lambs are creep fed until weaning and then run at grass throughout the summer and autumn.

topped the NSA South West Sale at Exeter in 2021 and had the highest pen average at the same sale in 2020.

“Most of our rams are sold from home and while having good prices at sales is great it isn’t the bread and butter of the business.

That is based very much around having a decent average across all rams sold at the end of the year. The challenge this year is marketing this increased number of shearlings to best effect and deciding which sales we target them at.

“I’m confident we can increase the number sold at home, but also fully expect to have to increase the number sold at sales too,” explains Phil.

Female sales are also somewhere he sees the opportunity to increase revenue. With ewe numbers now stable at about 160 the need to keep as many replacements will reduce. “As we’ve expanded the flock every suitable ewe lamb has been kept back and brought into the flock. Now as we’ve got to the flock to the size we want to be at we should be in a position to sell surplus females.”

Running alongside the flock is a 90-cow suckler herd largely based on Simmental

Hornacott Commander sold for 3500gns in 2020 and subsequently won his class at the Derbyshire Texel Club show in 2021.

“The aim is to get ewes and lambs out to grass as soon as weather and ground conditions allow, but this usually means they are in for 2-3 weeks after lambing to ensure they have the best chance possible once they are out to grass.

“Lambs are then creep fed up until weaning in early June, with ewe lambs then receiving no feed until they come in for lambing as shearlings. Ram lambs run at grass through the summer and autumn before moving to a forage crop in winter and going back to grass again in spring.

“They are then introduced to hard feed again later in the summer ahead of the sales season. The aim is to bring them on gradually and produce rams which are fit to work and won’t melt once they’ve been sold,” says Phil.

cross cows put back to Charolais bulls.

“Within that we have a 20-cow AberdeenAngus herd which has been introduced in the last few years with the intention of selling bulls from home and also producing Angus females as replacements for the commercial suckler herd. These Angus females will then be put to Charolais bulls to produce suckled calves and young stores,” he says.

indices and installed water troughs and pipes in every field and in places we have sub-divided fields too in order to improve grassland management.

Mixing sheep and cattle grazing across the farm works well, with Phil explaining that significant amounts of reseeding and infrastructure improvements have been made in recent years making it easier to manage the farm. “We’ve corrected soil

Due to heavy ground conditions ewes are housed in early January while ram hoggs graze a crop of forage rape or turnips over winter, giving grass a chance to recover before ewes and lambs are turned out post-lambing.

“I’m a firm believer in managing the land and livestock as one. Getting the ground and grass right makes a big difference to the stock, managing one without the other is only doing half a job.”

At every stage of the season a strict culling policy is enforced, with any animal not felt good enough culled no matter its age or pedigree. “As soon as the lambs reach a marketable weight I’ll start picking out those which I don’t believe are good enough to take any further.

“It helps with cash flow, but also ensures only the best are kept to become either female replacements or rams to sell. It’s the only way to keep the reputation we’ve built up and ensure the quality in the flock continues to improve which has to be the overall aim for every breeder no matter the species or breed,” concludes Phil.

Texel Bulletin | Spring 2022

87

TEXEL

DRIVING CHANGE, DELIVERING CONSISTENCY 11 of the top 15 carcass merit EBV sires in RamCompare are Texels.*

85%

of Texel sired lambs are ‘in spec’ **

Texel lambs regularly earn up to 33% premiums over live market averages ***

33%

Texels add £23m/year to industry ****

Lambs by texelplus sires are more than 2kg heavier at 20 weeks than in 2011 giving faster finishing *****

#addtexeladdvalue

Sources: *AHDB RamCompare 2016-2020 ** Texel Sheep Society Taste vs Waste trial 2019 *** Thainstone, United Auctions, Carlisle and Caledonian Marts market reports March 2022 **** Abacus Bio 2015 ***** texelplus data 2021